《A Billionaire In Disguise》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°Run, Rome! Run, and don¡¯t look back!¡± ¡°Honk!!!!!!¡± Rome¡¯s eyes suddenly opened with fear glowing in them as he jumped from his sleep with sweat dripping down his skin. Then he struggled to catch his breath while his heart pounded violently in his chest. He could feel his hands trembling as he suspiciously gazed around before stroking his fingers through his dark silky hair and then gently rubbing his face to awaken himself. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that I had this dream again,¡± Rome mumbled. Still feeling traumatized by his dream, he got out of bed and walked over to the fan seated in the corner of his tiny room and inspected it. ¡°It broke in the middle of this killer heat weather, seriously?¡± Rome mumbled as he stared at the fan with frustration in his eyes. At that moment, a loud noise drew his attention toward his door, and his ears attentively listened to the voices echoing into his room. ¡°Hey!! Old fool. Where is my damn money!¡± ¡°Mr. Ondo, but the deadline for the loan has not been reached yet.¡± ¡°Shut up! Your shop seems to be doing well, so why can''t I ask for my money early!!¡± ¡°But¡­ but I don''t have any money now. I spent it all on goods. How about waiting for the fifth of next N?velDrama.Org (C) content. month as we have discussed.¡± ¡°Haha! An old thing like you have guts! If you don''t give my money today, I will have to take whatever valuables I can find to pay for your debt!¡± ¡°You can''t do that, and this is illegal!¡± ¡°Get out of my way!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± With rage devouring him from the inside, Rome marched outside of his room. When he entered the store, he stopped and stared with burning rage glowing in his eyes. ¡°Dad!¡± Rome shouted, looking down at a man with winter-white hair, then he focused his sight on his timeworn face and stared into his watery eyes. ¡°Go back inside your room, Rome. I don''t want you getting into trouble because of me. I will handle this.¡± Mr. Miller cried. Mr. Ondo walked over to the old man and squatted. Then he held onto both of Mr. Miller''s cheeks and violently squeezed it. ¡°How are you going to handle this, Oldman?¡± Mr. Ondo rudely said. Just by listening to the tremble in his father''s voice and the arrogance in Mr. Ondo¡¯s tone had Rome shivering from the anger pumping through his rapidly beating heart. ¡°I give you guys one minute to get your asses out of our store!¡± Rome shouted. Within a split second, the room got filled with noise as Mr. Ondo and his men burst into a peal of "Boy, that''s some filthy mouth you have there!¡± Mr. Ondo mockingly stated, standing to his feet. Then he gazed at one of his men and winked at him, and immediately the guy started walking towards Rome. ¡°No, please. Let my son be!¡± Mr. Miller shouted. ¡°Shut your hole up!¡± Mr. Ondo yelled with a smirk on his lips. Rome remained still even when he and the guy were facing each other at a close range. ¡°You shouldn''t have offended my boss.¡± The man slyly said, rudely patting Rome on his shoulder. At that exact instant, Rome grabbed him by the wrist and pulled it away from his shoulder. While the guy struggled to get his hand out of Rome''s grip, he held onto it tightly and then popped his bones apart. ¡°Argh! You son of a...!¡± The guy shouted. But he couldn''t end his statement because Rome had brutally hit his kneecap against the guy''s windpipe, knocking him unconscious to the floor. ¡°Who''s next!¡± Rome coldly mumbled as his dark eyes coldly stared at the remaining seven robust men. Mr. Ondo winked his eye, and the other men rushed towards Rome with deadly expressions stered on their faces. Rome stepped back to create a distance. Then he coldly smiled as they all strike at once. Mr. Ondo''s eyes kept rapidly changing direction while watching his men fall to the floor one after another. Rome sneered when thest man standing rushed towards him. Then he giggled before hook-kicking the guy in his face, sending him five steps backward before he hit the floor. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Rome provokingly shouted, staring at Mr. Ondo running out of the store. Rome then burst intoughter as he watched Mr. Ondo tripped on a rock and fell face t to the ground. ¡°Hey, take your idiots along with you too. We don''t want to dirty our store with garbage!¡± Rome yelled. ¡°I will be back! And once I do, you will understand who''s going to have thestugh!¡± Mr. Ondo shouted, cleaning the dirt off him. Rome keptughing until his eyes met with Mr. Miller''s angry gaze, and in that instant, his voice got lower and lower till he was silent. ¡°You trouble child!¡± Mr. Miller shouted, approaching Rome. He then grabbed onto his son¡¯s ear and pulled it hard till it turned red. ¡°Ah, ah! Father, I just saved you, so why am I getting punished.¡± Rome childishly cried. ¡°Because Mr. Ondo is not only a money loaner, but he is also in a gang, and his boss is an evil man. We need to leave now.¡± Mr. Miller said in fear. ¡°But why?¡± ¡°He''s going to kill you. I can''t protect you because I am filthy poor, and because of that, you are also penniless!¡± ¡°Hey! That''s not fair. You''ve been doing your best.¡± ¡°Yet it''s not enough. Since I found you on that fateful night,ying in a pool of blood, I haven''t done much for you then, and now, that your life is in danger because of me, there''s only one thing I can do.¡± ¡°Dad¡­¡± ¡°I know what you are about to say, and I appreciate the fact that you are striving to spare my feelings from getting hurt. But I know that I am not capable of protecting you, so I am taking you somewhere that you will be safe.¡± ¡°Do I get a saying in this?¡± ¡°No! Now hurry up and go pack your things.¡± Rome stared at his father, trembling hands and terrified eyes for a moment before running into the back of the store, where his room was. A few secondster, he returned with a worn-out bag hanging on his shoulder and met with Mr. Miller. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Rome mumbled as he stared at the paper in his father''s hand. ¡°This is your ticket to getting into a wealthy family.¡± Mr. Miller mumbled. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 "What does that mean?" Rome asked, feeling stunned by his father''s words. ¡°Stop talking, and let''s go. These guys will soon wake up from the nap you put them in!¡± Miller mumbled. Rome didn''t move an inch as he stared at his father in shock. But then Mr. Miller slowly walked behind him and aggressively shoved him out the door. ¡°Hey! Howe the older you get, the more violent you be.¡± Rome mumbled after he had bnced himself. ¡°Stop talking and walk!¡± Mr. Miller said while forcefully pushing Rome since he stubbornly refused to take a step forward. Everyone that walked past them kept awkwardly staring as Mr. Miller continued shoving Rome from the back. ¡°Fine! Stop hitting me! I will walk by myself. But you have to tell me about where we are going.¡± Rome mumbled while questionably staring at his father. ¡°All you need to know is that where I¡¯m taking you is the safest ce for you right now. So promise me that you wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble once you are there and always keep your head low.¡± Mr. Miller said. ¡°Ah, it sounds awful already.¡± ¡°Rome! It¡¯s not the time to crack jokes. Promise me!¡± ¡°Yeah. Sure, whatever.¡± After a while, Mr. Miller and Rome got into a Cab. They both did not speak a word to each other the entire drive. When the taxi stopped in front of an enormous fancy fence, Rome and Mr. Miller got down and approached the gate. Then Mr. Miller rang the doorbell and waited. After a few minutes, a guard came out of the fence and walked up to them. He then gazed at Mr. Miller first before, staring at Rome. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money to give you guys. Now leave!¡± He rudely said as he stared at them with disgust on his face. The one thing Rome found hard to control was his anger. But as he folded his fingers into a fist, Mr. Miller grabbed his hand and calmly said, ¡°I am sorry about the misunderstanding, but we are not beggars. My son and I would like to speak to Madam Rosey.¡± The guard''s lips curve into a mocking grin before he burst intoughter. Heughed so hard that tears rolled down the corner of his eyes. ¡°Not beggars. You guys can¡¯t fool me. I have seen countless people like you, and they always say that they are not beggars. But in the end, I have to forcefully remove them from madam Rosey sight because they turn out to be beggars." The guard provokingly stated, trying not to burst into another Rome''s fist got even tighter as he coldly stared at the mocking expression on the guard¡¯s face. Then he let out a deep sigh and calmly said, ¡°Look, my dad and I are not looking for trouble. We need to speak with this Madam Rosey.¡± A frown settled on the guard¡¯s face as he angrily stared at Rome. Then he lifted the baton in his hand and swung it at Rome, but Mr. Mille rushed in front of it, and it banged against his arm. Rome was about to let his rage get the better of him when his sight caught a nce of a stunning woman approaching them. Immediately, his attention got drawn to her, and his anger slowly subsided as he stared at her glossy skin, slender eyebrows, velvety eyshes, and ebony-ck hair. ¡°I don¡¯t think my grandmother is paying you to assault the elderly.¡± Thedy soothingly said while approaching Rome, Mr. Miller, and the guard. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°Miss Catherine,¡± The guard said in fear as the baton dropped from his hand to the ground. In annoyance, she rolled her eyes before walking past him. Then she stopped when she got closer to Mr. Miller. ¡°Hello, I am Catherine. The youngest granddaughter of the Balow household, and I sincerely apologize for what our security guard did. Please give me your ount number so that I can be able to However, Mr. Miller fiercely shook his head as he grabbed onto her hand and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need money.¡± ¡°Oh, then what is it you want?¡± Catherine asked in shock. Mr. Miller hastily let go of her hand, held Rome by his arm, and pulled him closer. He then looked back at Catherine''s curious blue eyes and gently uttered, ¡°I have a letter with the Barlow family stamp on it, and I think it¡¯s time Madam Rosey receives it.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then please follow me.¡± Catherine softly said. The guard hastily stepped aside, and Rome and Mr. Miller walked past him, following closely behind Catherine as she led them into the fence. ¡°The olddy is not going to be happy about this. But why should I care when it was Miss Cathrine who allow those beggars inside after all.¡± He mumbled while picking up his baton from the floor. When they got into the living room, Cathrine offered Rome and Mr. Miller a seat. Then as she turned around to leave, an elderlydy walked into the room with a frown on her face. ¡°Catherine, why are the two homeless people sitting on my ascetic couch.¡± The elderlydy harshly said as she distastefully stared at Mr. Miller and Rome. When Catherine gazed at her grandma¡¯s angry expression, all she felt was fear because she knew that she was about to get scolded again. Among her three uncles and her father, Cathrine knew that her dad was her grandmother''s least favorite child, and everyone in the family knew it. That''s why she got scolded a lot. However, her heart sank knowing that she had disappointed her grandmother again because she had been working on proving herself to her grandparents that she''s capable of being the family top heritor. The anger that had subsided in Rome rapidly awaking in him. But he held it in and remained calm, remembering the promise he had made to his father. ¡°I apologize for any difort our presence may cause you, Madam Rosey. But I think these two are supposed to get married, ording to the paper I have in my possession.¡± Mr. Miller said with a straight face. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 All the members of the Barlow family got an emergency text from Madam Rosey, and within less than an hour, the living room got crowded with every one of them. They all took turns staring at the paper, and Mr. Barlow was thest one to hold it. Then the room became silent as everyone waited for him to say something. In the household, two individuals held all the power, and that was Madam Rosey and her husband, Mr. Barlow. Everyone else was in a power struggle among themselves, and it was a vicious circle with Cathrine and her parents at the bottom of the survival chain. Mr. Barlow cleared his throat, and everyone''s faces became serious except for Rome. He kept staring at Mr. Miller, but his father bore no expression on his face. ¡°This is my father¡¯s signature, and the Barlow family stamp on this paper is real. Myst granddaughter got promised to get wed to Mr. Miller''s grandson once she turns eighteen." Mr. Barlow loudly dered. "But..." Catherine father mumbled. "The contract got signed between my father and Mr. Miller, and I shall honor it. Catherine is to get married to Rome within four weeks, and that is final. From today onward, Rome Miller is the son-inw of this family.¡± Upon hearing her father-inw''s words, Cathrine¡¯s mother let out a loud cry of disappointment as tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Control yourself, woman! How dare you behave in such a manner before father!¡± Cathrine¡¯s father Mr. Barlow''s face hardened as he clenched his fist while ring at his son. Suddenly, he stood to his feet and said, ¡°Handle your wife, and let this be thest time she disgraced this family with such a behavior!¡± With pity in her eyes, Cathrine stared at her father while he bowed his head in shame. Then she gazed at her mother''s grieving face as her heart ached in pain. After waiting patiently for her husband to leave, it was Madam Rosey''s turn to speak, and everyone else maintained their silence. She calmly stared around the room until her sightnded on Rome. Then with absolutely no respect in her tone, she asked, ¡°What quality are you bring into the Barlow family?¡± Rome was about to answer when Mr. Miller dropped to his knees, rested his forehead against the floor, and cried, ¡°It is my fault! I did not give him a better life. So please do not hold it against him.¡± The was a faint chuckling sound echoing in the room. When Rome looked to his right, he could see a youngdy with dark violet hair struggling to hold back herughter. At that moment, he desperately wanted to drag his father out of there. But he knew that it was not what Mr. Miller wanted, so he restrained his anger and maintained a calm expression. ¡°How annoying! You can¡¯t afford to support your son, so you decided to make him a burden to our family. What a scamming old man you are.¡± Madam Rosey straightforwardly said as she stood to her feet. ¡°I beg for pardon,¡± Miller mumbled. ¡°Yourck of shame is just disgusting. Stand to your feet. I don¡¯t want rumors spreading that I bully a poor man.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Rome felt like a sore loser as he watched Mr. Miller get off the ground and sat back on the couch. When madam Rosey''s gaze fell on him, she sized up Rome for a while and firmly said, ¡°I don¡¯t like worthless people, so try to make yourself useful while living here. Oh, and Cathrine, since he will be your soon-to-be husband, he¡¯s your problem. Make sure you keep him out of trouble.¡± The living room was silent for a moment as Madam Rosey left the room. Once the sound of her footsteps faded down the hall, a noise rose in every corner of the room. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Honey, our daughter can¡¯t marry a loser. She is our only child. We can not hand her over to a nobody, especially at such a time.¡± Cathrine¡¯s mother cried out to her husband. He then held her in thefort of his arm and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. I will speak to my father. I am sure he too will agree that giving his granddaughter to a valueless man is a terrible decision.¡± As her lips curved into a smirk, Chloe approached Catherine, and the moment she saw her cousin walking to her, Catherine¡¯s face darkened, knowing that whatever her cousin had to say was going to be unpleasant. ¡°So, an underdog for a husband. How ironic! As the saying goes, ''like mother, like daughter.¡± Chloe teased in a low voice, making sure that only Cathrine could hear those words. However, Rome was onto her, and even though he didn¡¯t understand what she had said, Cathrine¡¯s sad expression was all he needed to know that Chloe had bad-mouthed her. ¡°My work here is done.¡± Mr. Miller said, and those words drew Rome''s attention away from the two cousins and onto his father. ¡°Are you joking? I am not staying here.¡± Rome mumbled with the utmost seriousness in his voice. ¡°Stop being stubborn, son. I am in debt, I can¡¯t take care of you. Plus, Mr. Ondo has threatened your life." Mr. Miller firmly said. "Dad," "Bing the son-inw to one of the wealthiest families in the country is the only way you can survive. Count it as luck and stop being proud.¡± After letting out a deep sigh, Mr. Miller stood to his feet and walked out of the room, leaving Rome staring behind him. Hey, you! Let¡¯s go.¡± Catherine called out, angrily staring at Rome. It took a second for Rome to snap out of his thoughts and realize that she was speaking to him. When he noticed that everyone was gazing at him in disgust, he quietly stood to his feet and followed Catherine. When they arrived in an enormous and elegantly decorated bedroom, Rome shut the door behind him since he was thest to enter before staring at Catherine''s cold expression. ¡°How much will it cost for you to tell my grandfather that your father lied and that the marriage contract is fake?¡± Catherine boldly asked. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 ¡°My father is not a liar. So you can keep your money,¡± Rome replied, hiding his anger behind his calm eyes. A long sigh came from Catherine''s lip as she crossed her arms, shrugged her shoulders, and looked the other way. As his hand tightened around his bag ropes, Rome subconsciously gazed around the room. Then a baby photo of Catherine caught his eyes. Then he faintly giggled and said, ¡°cute.¡± Hisment drew her attention to where he was looking. She looked at the photo for a brief while before staring at Rome, then Cathrine furrowed her eyebrows and rolled her eyes at him. ¡°We may get married. However, I don¡¯t see you as my husband. You can sleep in my room, but not on my bed. Put your belongings in the left closet since I have no use for that space. Also, if you can¡¯t help me, then do not meddle in my business.¡± Catherine harshly said. However, Rome made no reply since her remark annoyed him. Instead, he walked past her, approached the left closet, and opened it. Then he tossed his bag in the corner and mmed the door shut. ¡°Father, this is insane. Catherine is my only child! You can not expect me to marry her to tha-that nobody!¡± Catherine''s father said with humbleness in his voice. In a fate of rage, Mr. Barlow mmed his palms against the desk and shouted, ¡°You ungrateful, son! Do you want your grandfather to be a liar? His direct words were ¡®myst granddaughter will be married to the grandson of Mr. Miller." "But..." "Cathrine is my youngest grandchild. Therefore it is only right that she fulfilled her great-grandfather''s promise!¡± The room grew silent. Then Mr. Barlow rested back in his seat and slightly waved his hand, gesturing to his son to leave the room. ¡°What did father say?¡± Cathrine''s mother cried out to her husband when he came out of the study. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. Our daughter is going to marry a sore loser.¡± Catherine''s father mumbled beneath his breath. Then he hung his head and walked away, dragging his feet. In the east wing of the Balow mansion, the four cousins, Charles, Richard, Jeff, and Chloe, had gathered in their meeting room, which was an old fashion chamber that no one uses in the house. ¡°Hahaha, this is great! I thought we would have to lift a finger to get Catherine removed from the heritage list. But it seems like fate has done it for us!¡± Jeff said before sipping his wine. ¡°He looks like a servant! Did you see his clothes? How dare him have the guts to be a son-inw when he looked like that!¡± Charles angrily said, clutching onto his wine ss with burning rage in his eyes. Chloe rolled her eyes at her cousins and slyly intoned, ¡°Let''s make him one then.¡± ¡°What?¡± Richard asked in confusion. With a devious smile on Chloe''s lips, she stood from her seat, and as her fingertip traced around the ss, she shyly smiled and said, ¡°Let''s make him our personal ve.¡± It took less than a second for Charles, Richard, Jeff to burst into a pearl of evilughter. ¡°You should remind me not to mess with you in the future,¡± Richard said, making a toast to Chloe before drinking his wine. However, he excitement onlysted for a moment, and then silence befell the room. ¡°Since it''s your idea, Chloe, why don''t you start, and we will follow your lead.¡± Charles cunning said, knowing that the was a thirst for power in the mansion and the slightest deal you make with anyone could be a trap. ¡°Coward,¡± Chloe mumbled beneath her breath. Then she sat down her wine ss on the table and loudly said, ¡°Fine. I will show you,dies, how to get the job done.¡± Charles and the others were not happy about the name Chloe called them. But they maintained a bright smile on their faces. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Rome had just finished arranging the things from his backpack into the closet when Catherine¡¯s room door suddenly flew opened. He then took a deep breath before turning around to face Chloe as she gave him a dirty look. ¡°I need you to wash my clothes,¡± Chloe demanded with a mocking smile on her face. Rome wanted to refuse. But at that moment, Catherine walked out of the bathroom and asked, What''s going on here?¡± ¡°I am just trying to be generous by making your husband useful. We all heard what grandma said, and it will be a shame if he is worthless to this household. That''s why I asked him to wash for me.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As a sigh escaped her lips, Catherine coldly stared at Rome and said, ¡°Do as she says.¡± For a moment, Rome stood still, clenching his fist as he stared at both of them. Then he inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. ¡°Fine. Where''s your clothes?¡± Rome mumbled, holding in his anger. ¡°Follow me!¡± Chloe said, smirking at him. She walked out of the room, and Rome eyed Catherine for a second before following her cousin. When they got to Chloe''s room, she headed inside while Rome waited for her out the door. A few secondster, she came out with a basket, and when Rome reached to take it out of her hands, she dropped the basket on the floor. ¡°Oop! Are you going to pick them up?¡± Chloe mockingly said. Rome gazed down at her bra and underwear scattered on the floor. Then he red at her, bent down, and started putting them back into the basket. ¡°Wow, Chloe! You are amazing.¡± Charles said as he, Richard, and Jeff approached Chloe and Rome. ¡°What? I am just teaching our useless brother-inw how to be useful.¡± Chloe said with a hint of arrogance in her tone. ¡°Haha, true. Our dear brother-inw can use a lesson or two from us. How about after you finish here, you can go wash my car.¡± Richard intoned. ¡°Yeah, and afterward, you can polish my shoes,¡± Jeff said with a smirk. Although Rome said nothing, his blood was boiling with rage and thirst for revenge. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Four weeks went by naturally, and it was finally Rome and Catherine''s wedding day. As Rome stood before the mirror, staring at his reflection, he felt like the past weeks had been the worst days of his life. The Barlow family had turned him into their personal ve and had belittled him so much that even the servant had control over him. As Rome stared at his reflection, thinking about the hardbor he had done for them, he balled his hand into a fist and swung it at the mirror, stopping his punch only an inch away from the ss. ¡°I can''t break my promise to my father,¡± Rome mumbled, staring at his veins bulging on his neck. Suddenly his room door opened, and Charles walked inside. When his gaze met with Rome''s angry eyes, he smirked and shut the door behind him before walking towards Rome. ¡°This old thing suits you,¡± Charles said, pulling the tail of Rome¡¯s coat. ¡°What do you want?¡± Rome mumbled with anger burning deep within his eyes. ¡°Is that how you talk to the one who gives you what you are wearing? If it wasn''t for me, you would be walking down the aisle in a boxer.¡± ¡°I worked for what I am wearing.¡± ¡°Do you know how much I spent when I bought this suit? You being my driver for a few weeks isn''t equivalent to the price of this suit!¡± The room fell silent as Rome tightened his fist and held in his breath. Then he slowly exhaled to relieve the tension building up in him. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Rome calmly asked. ¡°The wedding is about to start,¡± Charles replied. Without saying a word, Rome walked out and mmed the door. ¡°Putting up an attitude? I will let you be for now since grandfather told us not to do anything to cause shame to the family name. But once we get home, you will feel my wrath.¡± Charles mumbled. The moment Rome walked into the wedding venue, the mumbling started. ¡°Isn''t he the scoundrel whose father tricked Mr.Barlow into marrying his granddaughter to him?¡± ¡°Yeah, he and his father are both thieves and shameless.¡± ¡°Such a gold digger. Doesn''t he feel disgusted in himself?¡± These words echoed into Rome''s ears as he walked down the aisle. But he kept walking, squeezing his fists every step he took. A few minutes after Rome had arrived at the wedding arch, the door opened, and Catherine walked in, and as she marched down the aisle, he could feel his anger slowly melting. ¡®She is beautiful.¡¯ Rome thought with a half-smile. Once Catherine had joined him at the aisle, the ceremony began. Everything went on peacefully for a moment, but when Rome and Catherine said, ¡°I do,¡± the door suddenly flew open, and Ondo and his gang marched into the hall. A loud noise roused among the guests, and everyone was in total shock except Rome. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Mr. Ford needs a word with the groom,¡± Ondo shouted with his hands resting on his waist. Madam Rosey turned to her husband, squeezed his hand, and cried, ¡°Honey, what have we done. It seems like Mr. Ford has a problem with Rome. We can not afford to offend Mr. Ford.¡± ¡°What do you expect from me, woman? They are already a married couple.¡± Mr. Barlow mumbled, feeling sweat dripping down his forehead. Fear ceased everyone in their seats as they stared at Rome. But he was not bothered a bit about Ondo and his men. ¡°What have you done?¡± Catherine asked, sounding annoyed. ¡°I''ll be back,¡± Rome said. Then he gazed away from her and walked to Ondo and his men. ¡°You have guts using the Barlow family as a shield. Why did you belittle my boss with such a nonsense act? Now he is mad, and he wants a word with you.¡± Ondo said, smirking with a murderous gaze. ¡°Stop chirping like some dumb bird and lead the way.¡± Rome casually said. ¡°You brat! Are you counting death!¡± ¡°You can either stop talking and take me to see your boss, or you can leave here and allow me to get married in peace.¡± The rage in Ondo''s eyes burned, yet he didn''t act on it. Instead, he forcefully locked Rome''s hands behind his back and carried him out with his men following closely behind the both of them. When they got to a parking lot, Ondo shoved Rome into the backseat of a ck car. Then he got in and shut the door. As the driver pulled off with the car and a bunch of ck cars followed closely behind their vehicle, the feeling of worry was far from Rome¡¯s heart, but what he felt was pure rage and excitement. A few minutester, the cars came to a stop, and Ondo got out. Then Rome willingly stepped out of the vehicle. When Ondo and his men led him into a warehouse, Rome''s sight rested on a man as he stood in the dark, a faraway distance from them. ¡°The boss is watching. Make him suffer.¡± Ondo abruptly said. Within a split second, Rome saw a punch heading in his direction, but he used his palm to block the hit. Then his fingers clutched onto the guy''s fist, and he popped the wrist bones from their joints. Then he balled his fingers into a fist and drove them towards the guy''s cheek, mming it against his jaw and breaking three teeth. Suddenly every one of Ondo''s men came rushing towards Rome, and in less than ten minutes, the warehouse was noisy with the echoes of grown men''s cries. ¡°Thank you for helping me let out the rage that I have been holding in for four weeks. Ah, this is nice.¡± Rome said, taking in a deep breath with a smirk on his lips. ¡°Rome?¡± He heard a voice call out of the dark, and immediately an agonizing pain ripped through his head while he screamed out the pain. ¡°Run, Rome! Run, and don¡¯t look back!¡± Those words became to echo loud in his ears as the pain grew intense. ¡°Who are you!¡± Rome screamed, falling to his knees. Everything slowly became blurry in his eyes as shes of images crossed his mind. ¡°Show yourself!¡± Rome mumbled. But in a matter of seconds, he dropped to the floor and lost consciousness. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 When Rome regained consciousness, he kept his eyes closed for a minute and waited for the headache to subside before raising his eyelids. ¡°Where am I?¡± Rome mumbled, staring around the room, then his sight rested on an elderly-looking man with smoky-grey hair and a white goatee. With calmness in his eyes, he smiled at Rome and said, ¡°You are at my house. I''m Mr. Ford by the way.¡± ¡°Mr¡­ Fo-rd. I¡­¡± ¡°It''s okay, kid. You don''t have to fear me.¡± Doubt clouded Rome¡¯s feature when he stared at Mr. Ford and thought, ''Don''t fear you! You order your men to beat the crap out of me! Do you take me as a fool!¡¯ For a second, Mr. Ford took his gaze off Rome and ced his focus on a picture frame. Then he took it off the dresser and showed it to Rome. ¡°Do you know the person in this photo?¡± Mr. Ford asked. ¡°Why do you have a picture of me as a kid?¡± Rome mumbled, feeling goosebumps on his skin. ¡°My son!¡± ¡°Your what?¡± Thinking Mr. Ford had gone mad, Rome began running over escape ns in his head. ¡°You don''t remember your father?¡± Mr. Ford asked, smiling brightly with tears in his eyes. ¡°I have a father, and he''s not you. Now with that said, I will be on my way.¡± Rome intoned, throwing the nket off him. ¡°Howe you remember your name and not me?¡± ¡°Because of a stupid recurring nightmare that I have every night from the time I was a boy till now.¡± ¡°What nightmare?¡± ¡°Everything is fuzzy in the dream except the person''s voice, and I think they were talking to me. They kept shouting, ¡®Run, Rome! Run, and don¡¯t look back! So I decided to call myself Rome.¡± Watching Mr. Ford burst into tears, Rome felt awkward seeing a grown man cry, and he didn''t know if he shouldfort him or take the chance and run. But he didn''t have the guts to do either of those things, so he sat there, waiting for Mr. Ford to stop crying. ¡°That was me! I was the one telling you to run, Rome. On an unfortunate night, my enemies storm this very ce and murder your mother.¡± Mr. Ford said, clutching his fists. For an unknown reason, Rome felt his heartache when he heard those words, and even though he still had no memory about Mr. Ford and this mansion, he sensed a feeling of familiarity. ¡°Your wife is dead. I am so sorry.¡± Rome mumbled. ¡°She''s not only my wife. She''s your mother. We fought a great fight that night, but your life would have gotten endangered if you had stayed in this ce that night, so I told you to run away.¡± Mr. Ford said, staring Rome in his eyes. Yet he could tell that Rome was still in doubt about the words he had said, but Mr. Ford was sure that he had found his long-lost son. ¡°This father that you speak of is he your biological father?¡± Mr. Ford asked. ¡°No, he found me after I got hit by a car, and the driver drove off, leaving me there to die,¡± Rome said, realizing that there''s a possibility that he could be Mr. Ford''s son. ¡°This is all my fault. I have failed you as a father. I tried finding you after I had destroyed the ones who took your mother''s life, but my search was in vain. Son, let me make it up to you!¡± ¡°DNA test,¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I want a test done to clear my doubts since I still don''t have memories of you and everything you just said.¡± There was an awkward pause, then Mr. Ford burst into a peal ofughter. ¡°Yes, I will go call Dr. Lincoln right now!¡± Mr. Ford shouted. Then he patted Rome on his arm and ran out of the room. ¡°What a cocky old man. One minute he''s trying to get me killed, and the next, I am his son!¡± Rome mumbled, getting off the bed. Feeling a bit curious, he went around the room, searching the drawers and cabs, then he came across a picture frame hidden in one of the dresser drawers. ¡°Who is she?¡± Rome mumbled, staring at thedy in the photo. Then the frame dropped from his hands and smashed onto the tiles. Tears began to roll down Rome''s eyes, and his hands started to tremble uncontrobly. When Mr. Ford returned to the room, he met Rome sitting in the corner, crying bitterly. Then he looked away from the picture and stared at Mr. Ford. ¡°Mom has died. I saw it all that night. Sheid in a pool of blood. Why did I have to remember? I don''t want to remember her in that state!¡± Rome mumbled, hugging himself tightly. A whileter, Dr. Lincoln came to the mansion and did a thorough checkup on Rome. ¡°He suffered from Dissociative amnesia. Rome''s brain blocked out the memory of his mother''s death, leaving him unable to remember important personal information.¡± Dr. Lincoln said, staring at Mr. Ford. ¡°You must have suffered so much. I am a terrible father.¡± Mr. Ford said, tearing up again. ¡®Why does he love crying so much? It''s so weird. I don''t remember him being this pathetic when I was little.¡¯ Rome thought, darting his eyes around the room. After Mr. Lincoln had taken a sample of Mr. Ford and Rome salivas, he left the room, leaving them alone. ¡°My son is finally back! I have an heir again. I think it''s time for me to retire.¡± Mr. Ford said. ¡°What?¡± Rome asked. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Well, you don''t expect this old man to continue running thepanies at such an age. I want you to take your rightful ce as my heir and manage my multi-billionaire dors businesses.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°I know you still have a lot to catch up on. But you are a fast learner. I can''t believe you still know the moves that I taught you. Takeover from your father, huh.¡± After an awkward silence, Rome nced up at Mr. Ford with a mischievous smile. ¡°Okay, but under one condition,¡± Rome mumbled. ¡°Anything. Name it.¡± Mr. Ford said. ¡°Do not make my identity public.¡± ¡°But why? I have hoped for this day for so long. Why can''t I tell the world that you are my son?¡± A sly smile crept upon Rome''s lips as he stared at his father and said, ¡°I still have a few scores to settle.¡± Chapter 7 Chapter 7 The car was silent as Ondo drove Rome back to the Barlow mansion. A few distances away from the fence, Rome tapped Ondo on his shoulder, and he jumped in fear. ¡°How can I help you, young master?¡± Ondo shouted, hunching his shoulders. ¡°Stop me here,¡± Rome mumbled, leaning back on his seat. Without any hesitation, Ondo stepped on the brake and turned the car off. When Rome got down, Ondo pushed the car door open and rushed out. Then he got down on both knees and rested his forehead against the ground. ¡°Young master, forgive me. I was stupid for attacking you in the past. This humble servant needs to be punished!¡± Ondo cried out loud. ¡°Punch me and we can call it even,¡± Rome said, staring down at him. When Ondo lifted his head and saw in Rome''s expression that he wasn''t kidding, he felt even more afraid. ¡°Young master, I can nevery a hand on you. I will lose my life if I did. Please, any other punishment will be fine, but not this one, please!¡± Ondo said, trembling as sweats rolled down his face. ¡°This is not a punishment, but an order. I need you to hit me so hard that it will leave a cut.¡± Rome intoned. Seeing that Rome was serious, Ondo slowly got up from the ground, balled his fist, and viciously punched him. ¡°Great,¡± Rome mumbled, gently touching the cut above his brow. ¡°No hard feelings, right, young master?¡± Ondo said, taking a step back as he stared at the smirk on Rome''s face. But before he could get a chance to react, Rome had swung his fist at him, hitting his nose, then the second punch mmed against his cheek. ¡°No hard feelings. Now we are even.¡± Rome mumbled. ¡°Tha-nk y-ou, master, for showing me mercy,¡± Ondo shouted, spitting his broken tooth into his palm. Then he watched Rome walk towards the gate and enter the fence before he got into the Mercedes and drove off. The moment Rome arrived in the living room, the entire members of the Barlow family were waiting for him. ¡°There''s our good for nothing son-inw who has brought nothing but shame onto this household.¡± Madame Rosey said, scowling at Rome. She met his calm gaze with an icy stare and then turned to her husband. ¡°What did you do to Mr. Ford to get on his bad side?¡± Mr. Balow asked, taking his sight off his wife and cing it on Rome. ¡°My father and I owe him a debt.¡± Rome mumbled. As he stared at the faces in the room, all he saw in their expression was anger, hate, and disgust. ¡°That sly old fox. Is that why he used such a dirty trick to get you into this family? That old goat and you are nothing but leeches.¡± William, the third son of the Barlow family screamed. ¡°Why would you cause trouble with Mr. Ford and use our family as a shield? You are really disgusting!¡± Andrew, the third son of the Barlow family shouted. Inside, Rome was burning with anger, hearing them speak about Mr. Miller in such a manner, yet he held it all in. ¡°Do you want to drag this family in the mud with you!¡± Elijah, the first son of the Barlow family screamed. When Rome didn''t answer, an awkward silence dragged on for a while, yet Rome could tell what they were thinking from their faces without them uttering a word. ¡°Honey, we can''t keep Catherine married to a man who has issues with Mr. Ford.¡± Catherine''s mother whispered to her husband. Then Catherine¡¯s father took a deep breath and said, ¡°Father, I think Catherine should divorce him, so our family wouldn''t offend Mr. Ford any further.¡± It grew quiet and Rome saw it in Mr. Barlow¡¯s expression that he might give into his son''s suggestion. ¡°I have paid my debt with Mr. Ford.¡± Rome hastily said, wiping the blood rolling down his face with his shirt sleeve. ¡°Why should we believe a scoundrel! First, your father lied to us and hid the truth about your debt with Mr. Ford! So why would anyone trust your word!¡± Madame Roseyshed out. Her cold gaze was piercing that Rome had to stare at the floor to avoid her eyes. ¡°Also, you are a broke loser. How did you pay Mr. Ford''s debt?¡± Elijah shouted. ¡°With my blood. I survived his men''s attack, so I wouldn''t owe him anything. Afterward, Mr. Ford told me that my debt has been settled.¡± Rome mumbled. Silence fell in the living room, and no one spoke for a while as they all focused on the wound on Rome''s head. ¡°Well. If that''s the case, then there''s no need to break my father''s promise to Mr. Miller.¡± Mr. Barlow said. ¡°But...!¡± Catherine''s father shouted. ¡°My word is final! Since the situation with Mr. Ford has been settled. Catherine and Rome will remain married.¡± ¡°Yes, father.¡± Sighing, Mr. Barlow stood from the couch and walked out of the living room. ¡°Catherine, please keep your husband on a leash. We don''t need a situation like this repeating itself.¡± Madame said. ¡°Yes, grandmother. I''m sorry for my husband''s behavior.¡± Catherine humbly replied. After coldly staring at Rome, Madame Rosey got up from her seat and followed her husband. When Rome nced up, his gaze met Catherine''s eyes and she frowned. Then she walked up to him and said, ¡°Follow me.¡± Without saying a word, Rome walked after Catherine as she led him out of the living room and into their bedroom. ¡°What did I tell you when you first came?¡± Catherine mumbled, approaching the dresser. Staring at her go through the things in the drawer, Rome shut the door and walked further into the Original content from N?velDrama.Org. room. ¡°If you can¡¯t help me, then do not meddle in my business.¡¯ That''s what you said.¡± Rome said. ¡°Sit on the bed,¡± Catherine mumbled, turning away from the dresser. A look of confusion crossed Rome''s face. Then he sat down on the edge of the bed and waited on her. ¡°We are now husband and wife. Whatever you do affects me, so please conduct yourself properly as my husband.¡± Catherine said, cleaning Rome¡¯s wound. Then she put a bandage on it and scowled at him before heading out of the room. ¡°Don''t worry. From now on. I''m going to be the husband you deserve.¡± Rome mumbled, rubbing the bandage with a smile on his face. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Early that morning as the Barlow family sat at the dining table, having breakfast, Rnd remained standing like always. He wasn''t allowed to eat with them since Madame Rosey considered him to be a worthless son-inw that didn''t deserve to eat expensive meals that he had not work for. ¡°Catherine,¡± Mr. Barlow said, gentlyying his fork down on the te. ¡°Yes, grandfather,¡± Catherine mumbled, looking away from her food and focusing on his eyes. ¡°Take your husband to thepany and find something useful for him to do. It will diminish the Barlow family reputation if people find out that your husband is nothing but a house help.¡± ¡°Yes, grandfather.¡± Suddenly, madam Rosey put down her fork and red at Rome before she calmly stared at her husband. ¡°Do you think it''s wise to have him meddling in thepany? He''s a fool with no educational background. It will be troublesome if he goes there and bes a burden.¡± Madame Rosey said, sounding annoyed. ¡°What can we do? He can''t keep on doing house chores for the rest of his life. We have to make him worth something to this family.¡± Mr. Barlow said, sighing heavily. Hearing them speak about him in such a manner had Rnd desperately wanting tough, yet he kept a straight face and listen. ¡°Grandmother, don''t stress yourself. We will make sure to keep our dear brother-inw in check, right Charles, Jeff, and Richard?¡± Chloe said, smirking at her cousins. ¡®Why is she getting us involved?¡¯ The three of them thought, staring at her with a frown on their faces. ¡°Well, Chloe, darling, that''s so thoughtful of you. Grandma can feel a bit at ease now.¡± Madame Rosey said. Suddenly, Charles put his meat on the te and said, ¡°Grandmother, you don''t have to worry. I will make sure that Rome does not cause any trouble for thepany.¡± ¡°Me too, grandma. You can count on me to keep Rome in order.¡± Jeff hastily uttered, setting his teacup down. ¡°Yes, grandmother. I will make certain that thepany''s reputation remains intact.¡± Richard mumbled, eyeing his cousins. ¡°Well, that''s great.¡± Madame Rosey said. Then her gaze swayed towards Rome and she scowled at him. ¡°Don''t you dare make trouble for this family again!¡± Madame Roseyshed out. ¡°I won''t dare,¡± Rome mumbled, hanging his head low. After breakfast was over, the family dismissed, and Rome and Catherine got into her car and she drove out of the fence. Then she stopped at a nearby cafe and headed inside. A few minutester, she returned to the car with a box of donuts and handed it to Rome along with a cup of coffee. ¡°You should eat something. Knowing Chloe, Charles, and Jeff, they are not going to make today easy for you. So don''t let them get to you and make you cause trouble for both of us.¡± Catherine mumbled. ¡°I wouldn''t,¡± Rome said, smiling at her. But she rolled her eyes at him and stepped on the elerator, driving off. When they arrived at thepany and entered the building, Rome and Catherine met her cousins in Original content from N?velDrama.Org. the lobby. For a moment, Charles, Jeff, and Richard gazed at Rome and then they turned their focus on Chloe. ¡°Cowards,¡± she mumbled, ring at them. Then she walked over to Catherine, and Rome with a smirk on her lips. ¡°Catherine, you don''t have any use for your husband, right?¡± Chloe said, smiling with her eyes. ¡°No, why?¡± Catherine asked with a calmness in her expression. ¡°Well then, can you lend him to me? I am having a meeting and need an extra set of hands in the conference room.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± For a moment, Catherine hesitated as she stared at Rome. Then she walked away, leaving him with her cousins. The entire six hours, Rome spent it serving tea to Chloe and her colleagues, printing several papers for Charles, getting lunch for Jeff and every one of his employees, carrying documents back and forth from Richard''s office to different departments in thepany. After being their errands boy for half of the day, they finally sent him back to Catherine and when she saw him, her heart sank. ¡°What happened to your coat?¡± Catherine asked, staring at the dark stain on Rome''s jacket. ¡°Oh, Chloe said that I made her coffee too hot, so she spilled it on me,¡± Rome mumbled. ¡°Oh my, are you okay? Did you sustain any burns?¡± ¡°No. But my only coat is ruin. I hope when I dry clean it the stain will be removed.¡± Noticing the bandages around all ten of Rome''s fingers, Catherine let out a soft sigh. ¡°What happened to your hands?¡± She asked. ¡°Umm¡­ Charles made me remove all the staple pins off the papers after I had already clipped them together. Then he asked me to staple them again.¡± Rome said, rubbing his neck as he faintly smiled at her. A look of disbelief crossed Catherine''s face, then she shut her eyes and took in a deep breath. At that moment, ke, her secretary, walked into the office. ¡°Boss, I just spoke with Mr. Jeffrey, and he said that you should meet him at Oscar''s restaurant at seven o''clock to sign the contract.¡± He said. ¡°Thank you, ke,¡± Catherine replied, faintly smiling at him. After he left the room, she stared at her watch and sigh heavily. ¡°It''s six already. We should get going. Getting this contract will help me win points with grandma and grandfather.¡± Catherine mumbled. ¡°Is this project that important to you?¡± Rnd asked, noticing the sadness in her eyes. ¡°Yes. Now let''s leave before we arrivete.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± A whileter, Catherine and Rome arrived at Oscar hotel, and he sat at a separate table while she took a seat at table seven. The waiter approached her and said, ¡°wee, Miss Catherine, how can I assist you tonight.¡± ¡°Give me a ss of water, and please ask the man at table ten what he will be taking. Whatever his order is, I will pay.¡± Catherine said, eyeing Rome. ¡°Gosh, you are so generous to your employees?¡± ¡°He''s my husband.¡± ¡°Oh, my bad. Judging from the way he''s dressed, I thought¡­ My humble apologies. Excuse me.¡± After the waiter left and approached Rome, Catherine softly sighed while staring at her husband. She still couldn''t believe that she had married such a pitiful man. ¡°Good for you, marrying the beautifuldy Catherine. What trick did you use?¡± The waiter said, giving Rome a dirty look. Ignoring his remark, Rome took his sight of Catherine and coldly stared at him. ¡°I will have what she''s having.¡± He said without breaking eye contact with the Waiter. ¡®What such a dominant aroma he has. If I haven''t heard the rumors that Lady Catherine married a nobody, I would think that he''s someone influential.¡¯ The waiter thought, avoiding Rome¡¯s stare. Then he gazed at the tiles and hastily walked away. After Catherine got served her ss of water, she noticed that Rome was served the same, and she frowned. ¡°He barely has anything to eat at home, so why is he being headstrong?¡± Catherine mumbled, staring at Rome drinking his water with an unbothered expression. Time flew by and after waiting for hours without seeing Mr. Jeffrey, she took out her phone and made a call to him. ¡°Hello, Miss Catherine. You dare to call me after you stood me up?¡± Mr. Jeffrey''s angry voice flowed into her ear. ¡°What? I am at the Oscar hotel.¡± Catherine said as panic rose through her. ¡°I see. I told your secretary that I was going to be waiting for you at the Refine restaurant, and he told me that you had a date with your husband at Oscar hotel, but he was going to pass the information onto you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The colors drained from Catherine''s face, and she felt speechless from shock. ¡°After begging me to hand this project to you, you chose your loser husband over my contract. Well then, I don''t think you deserve such an opportunity.¡± Mr. Jeffrey''s voice echoed from the phone speaker, sounding enraged. ¡°Th-at not tru¡­¡± Catherine mumbled, struggling to get the words out as tears settled in her eyes. ¡°Goodbye and have a nice date, Miss Catherine. I hope it was worth it.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The call got canceled, and Catherineid her head on the table and shut her eyes while sobbing silently. ¡°What''s wrong with her?¡± Rnd mumbled, staring at Catherine with worry in his eyes. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Although Rome wanted to walk over to Catherine, he remained in his seat and patiently waited without taking his sight off her. After crying in silence for a while, she wiped her face, grabbed her purse, and approached Rome. ¡°Let''s go,¡± Catherine said, softly sniffing. "Are we not waiting for Mr. Jeffrey?" Rome asked, staring into her watery eyes. ¡°No,¡± ¡°What about the contract?¡± ¡°I didn''t get it, okay! Can we just go home?¡± Inside, Rome felt annoyed that Catherine was hurting, but he kept a calm expression and slightly nodded his head. Then he left his seat and both of them walked out of the hotel. When they got to the car, Rome offered to drive, and even though Catherine felt skeptical, she allowed him to. They drove in silence the entire ride, and when they finally reached the Barlow mansion and the car came to a stopped, Catherine suddenly covered her face with her hand and bent over. ¡°Grandma and grandpa are going to be so disappointed in me. I can never seem to do anything right and keep messing up.¡± She cried, sobbing softly. This was the first time a woman had cried in front of him, and Rome didn''t know what to do for a while. Then he rested his hand on her back. ¡°You did well.¡± Rome mumbled, gently patting her. For the first time since they got married, Catherine felt her heart skip a beat because of him, and when she lifted her head, her eyes met his worried gaze, and she faintly smiled. ¡°Let''s go in,¡± Catherine mumbled beneath her breath. ¡°Okay,¡± Rome said, withdrawing his hand away from her. A few minutester, they entered the house, and the moment they walked into the living room, all eyes were on them. ¡°Good evening,¡± Catherine said. The cold gaze from everyone had her panicking inside, so she stared at the floor and held in her breath. ¡°Save your greeting! How dare you abandon your meeting with Mr. Jeffrey, so you can go on a date with your worthless husband.¡± Madame Roseyshed out. Suddenly, Catherine was not afraid anymore but confused and angry. This was not the first time a situation like this had happened, and it was bing too obvious for Catherine to see it as anything other than one of her cousins doing. Feeling enraged, she raised her head, stared at her grandmother, and said, ¡°I didn''t abandoned the meeting with Mr. Jeffrey to go on a date with Rome. I was set up and given the wrong address.¡± ¡°How dare you talk back to me!¡± Madame Rosey shouted, swinging her hand towards Catherine''s face, but Rome pulled her aside and the p hit his cheek. The living room became quiet and shock took over the faces of everyone. ¡°How dare you stand in the way of me disciplining my grandchild!¡± Madame Rosey shouted, scowling at Rome. ¡°Please forgive my wife. As her husband, I will bear her punishment. I''m useless to her, so this is the least I can do.¡± Rome mumbled, bowing his head. For some time he stood quietly, waiting for Madam Rosey to hit him or say something diminishing. But she didn''t. Instead, she frowned and sat back on the couch. ¡°How shameless! Catherine, I guess you married the right man. He is just as worthless to this family as you are.¡± Elijah said, frowning when his gaze met Rome''s eyes. Anger crawled inside of him, and the tension Rome felt made it hard for him to breathe. Yet he suppressed his rage and remained expressionless. ¡°How dare you speak of my daughter in such a manner andpare her to this loser!¡± Catherine''s father shouted, clutching his fists. ¡°Am I wrong, Edward? All your daughter has ever done is fail. If we can''t trust her to handle signing a contract. How can we entrust her with the inheritance?¡± Elijah intoned. Silence fell in the room, and it dragged on for about a minute, then Andrew cleared his throat and said, ¡°Edward, I know Elijah''s words may sound harsh, but it''s the truth. Catherine can never seem to do something right.¡± ¡°Yes, she is always messing up something and the family has to be the ones to suffer for it,¡± William uttered, staring at their father. Unable to keep himself out of the matter any longer, Mr. Barlow sighed deeply and said, ¡°Catherine, Original content from N?velDrama.Org. why can''t you be more like your cousins? Why do you always have to be the one to humiliate the family name?¡± ¡°Grandfather, I can fix this. Please give me another chance.¡± Catherine said, feeling her tears roll down her cheeks. ¡°Do you know how ashamed I was when Mr. Jeffrey called me to tell me that my granddaughter didn''t meet with him because she was on a date with her husband?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Enough, Catherine! Chloe will take over the project as she had been doing every time you fail.¡± Staring at her gandfather, Catherine heart ached when she heard those words, but she didn''t have the guts to speak any further. ¡°And as for you, Rome, you should just stay home and do chores if you n to be a distraction to my granddaughter.¡± Mr. Barlow said with a frown. ¡°I''m sorry. Please let me continue working. I assure you that this is thest time something like this will happen.¡± Rome mumbled. A sigh escaped his lips as Mr. Barlow got up from his seat. Then he left the living room without uttering a word. When Catherine gazed at her cousins, she could see the mockery in their expression, and even though they didn''t utter a word, she could tell that they were celebrating inside. ¡°I couldn''t be disappointed in you, Catherine.¡± Madame Rosey said, ring at her granddaughter. After a short silence, Catherine stared away from her grandmother''s eyes and focused on her parents¡¯ sad expression before she ran out of the living room and headed to upstairs. Nothing about what had just happened felt right to Rome, yet he kept his peace and walked out of the living room, and then walked out the front door and into the yard. As the wind blew gently against his face, he pulled out his phone and made a call. ¡°Young master, what can I do for you?¡± Ondo''s voice echoed into his ear. ¡°I need you to capture a man named ke. He''s Catherine''s secretary.¡± Rome said, admiring the night sky. ¡°Yes, young master. How do you want me to handle him?¡± ¡°Just capture ke, and make sure you don''t leave a mark on him because I need him intact for his confession.¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 The morning breeze blew the leaves of the sidewalk as ke walked to the bus stop. The moment he sat down on the bench, three ck Limousines drove towards the bus stop and stopped in front of him. Then Mr. Ondo got out of one of the first cars and approached him. ¡°You are ke, right?¡± He asked, sitting down on the bench. ¡°Yes, is there a problem? Did I offend Mr. Ford?¡± ke mumbled, hugging his bag tightly. ¡°Why would you think that?¡± ¡°Because there are rumors that say, ¡®if Mr. Ondo visits you then you are in trouble with Mr. Ford.¡± ¡°Well, that''s true. But I am not here because of my master.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The color drained from his face as he stared wide-eyed at Mr. Ondo and saw that he had a smirk on his lips. ¡°My young master wants a word with you.¡± Mr. Ondo said, with a straight face. ¡°Who? Mr. Ford has a son?¡± ke asked, sounding more afraid than shocked. ¡°Yes. This meeting would have taken a whole other route if my young master didn''t order me not to leave a scar on you. So can you get into the car on your own?¡± ¡°But I don''t even know Mr. Ford''s son, how did I offend him?¡± ¡°I don''t know. Are you going to get in the car or not?¡± After a slight moment of hesitation, ke stood to his feet, walked over to the limousine, and got in the back seat. ¡°Wise choice.¡± Mr. Ondo mumbled, standing from the bench. Then he got in the front seat of the limousine and the cars drove off. A minuteter, Mr. Ondo took out his phone and made a call. The event fromst night caused Catherine to have a sleepless night, and as sheid in bed, wild awake, Rome''s phone ringtone echoed in the room. She waited for a few seconds, and when he didn''t wake up, she got down from the bed and walked over to where he was sleeping on an air mattress. Then she squatted and stared at his peaceful resting face before gazing at his phone screen. ¡°Unknown number? I wondered who''s calling?¡± Catherine whispered, reaching for the phone. But before she could get a hold of it, Rome suddenly raised his eyelids, and she paused, staring into his eyes with an awkward smile on her face. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He asked without blinking. ¡°Your phone is ringing,¡± Catherine mumbled, withdrawing her hand to her side. A yawn escaped Rome''s lips as he sat up and did a little stretch. Then his head shifted in her direction, and he shed her a grin before grabbing his phone and answering the call. ¡°Good morning,¡± Rome said, staring at Catherine''s curious expression. ¡°I got him, young master.¡± Mr. Ondo¡¯s voice echoed into his ear. ¡°Location,¡± ¡°23 street. Warehouse number 7.¡± ¡°I will be there in a short while.¡± After Rome ended the call, he beamed at Catherine, scratching the back of his hair. ¡°Wife, can I be excused from work today. I applied for a part-time job and got epted.¡± Rome said. ¡°Is the allowance that I give you not sufficient?¡± Catherine mumbled. ¡°I can''t live on your money forever. I want to make a name for myself, so I can be the man that you deserve. I want you to be proud to call me your husband.¡± ¡°Fine, you can go.¡± Although Catherine tried not to show it in her expression, she was moved by Rome''s determination and somewhat impressed by it. At nine o''clock, Rome arrived at the warehouse and walked inside. The moment ke saw him, he furrowed his brows and frowned. ¡°Why is my boss¡¯s useless husband here? Is she the one who offended Mr. Ford''s son, and now he''s taking it out on the people close to her?¡± ke shouted. Then he stared at Mr. Ondo with a pleading expression and said, ¡°I''m not close to Lady Catherine! In fact, the only reason I work for her is that Miss Chloe pays me to. So please let me go.¡± ¡°How dare you call my young master useless! Are you counting death!¡± Mr. Ondo shouted, balling his fists. ¡°Huh? He''s who?¡± ¡°You are looking at Mr. Ford''s only heir.¡± A look of confusion settled on ke¡¯s face. Then he gave a nervous chuckle as he stared at Rome. ¡°You are not useless, but the only child to the wealthiest man in the country?¡± ke asked, feeling the hair stand on his neck. ¡°Yes,¡± Rome mumbled, sitting down in the chair with a cold expression on his face. ¡°Rome. No, I mean, boss. It was not my idea to give Lady Catherine the wrong address. Miss Chloe paid me to do it. Please don''t hurt me! I have a wife and kid.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Well, I''m not going to, if you are willing to confess those exact words to the Barlow family and Mr. Jeffrey.¡± An awkward silence fell in the room. Then Rome noticed the hesitation in ke¡¯s eyes, and he gazed at Mr. Ondo. ¡°Young master, he isn''t married and neither does he have a kid. Instead, he lives with his mother in a tiny house on Roside street.¡± Mr. Ondo said. Rome''s gaze swayed towards ke and sweat dripped down ke¡¯s forehead as he stared back at him. ¡°I don''t like people lying to me. When they do, I get mad, and you don''t want me to get mad, right, ke?¡± Rome firmly said, mming his fist into his palm. ¡°No! I will confess. I will do whatever you want me to do. Please don''t hurt my mother! She is sick.¡± ke said, dropping to the ground on both knees with tears in his eyes. When Rome gazed back at Mr. Ondo, he slightly nodded his head and said, ¡°Yes, young master. His mother suffered from kidney failure.¡± ¡°Do what I asked of you and your mother will be fine. Is that clear?¡± Rome said, giving ke an icy stare. Without a single hesitation, he shook his head and slowly stood up to his feet. ¡°Give me your order, and I will follow it to the letter,¡± ke said. ¡°Good. We have an appointment with Mr. Jeffrey.¡± Rome said with a smirk. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 When Mr. Ondo, ke, and Rome arrived at Mr. Jeffrey''s office, his secretary gazed away from the ¡°Mr. Jeffrey is busy. So expect you have an appointment, you guys shoulde another time.¡± He said, cing his focus back on the keyboard. Anger settled on Mr. Ondo''s face, but when he gazed at Rome calm expression, he knew not to act without an order for his young master, so he kept silent. ¡°Hi, I know we don''t have an appointment with Mr. Jeffrey, but I have something urgent to tell him. So can you inform him that Lady Catherine''s husband is here to see him?¡± Rome said with a half-smile. ¡°Seriously, I''m not going to repeat myself. So you guys should leave.¡± The secretary said, typing aggressively on the keyboard without staring at Rome. A soft sigh escaped Rome''s lips as he gazed at Mr. Ondo and slightly nodded his head. ¡°Excuse me, Tell Mr. Jeffrey that Mr. Ondo is here to see him.¡± Mr. Ondo said with a frown. The secretary immediately stopped typing and gazed wide-eyed at him with a shaky smile on his lips. ¡°Mr. Ford''s right-hand man is you?¡± He asked, hastily standing from his seat. Then he slightly bowed and said, ¡°I am sorry, Mr. Ondo. This is my first time meeting you. I''m sorry for my ignorance.¡± A look of disbelief crossed ke''s face as he slightly shook his head, pitying the secretary for his arrogance and ignorance. ¡°Inform your boss about our presence.¡± Mr. Ondo said with a frown. ¡°Yes, sir. Please wait a moment.¡± The secretary said. Then he hastily sat down, picked up the phone, and made a call. Mr. Jeffrey''s gaze swayed away from his documents and focused on his phone. Then he sighed and answered the call. ¡°What is it, Lucas?¡± Mr. Jeffrey asked, twirling his pen. ¡°Sir, Miss Catherine¡¯s husband is here to see you,¡± Lucas mumbled, staring at Mr. Ondo''s angry eyes. ¡°How bold of him! He''s just a worthless nobody. Does he think his presence will sway my decision and give his wife the project? Hah, what a joker. Send him home!¡± ¡°But sir, he''s with Mr. Ondo.¡± ¡°Mr. Who! Why didn''t you say that sooner? Let them in now!¡± A bright smile surfaced on Lucas''s lips as he set the phone down and stared at Mr. Ondo. ¡°Please go in. My boss is expecting you guys.¡± He said, widening his smile. But his smile quickly faded when he saw the cold stare Rome gave him as he walked past the desk. ¡°Hah, Mr. Ondo! How lovely it is to see you! Please sit down.¡± Mr. Jeffrey said, pping his hands together. Ignoring his remark, Mr. Ondo remained standing and ushered Rome to a couch. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Why is Mr. Ford''s right-hand man paying respect to this loser?¡¯ Mr. Jeffrey thought, staring at Rome as he sat down. When their eyes met, he smirked and said, ¡°Hello, Mr. Jeffrey. This is our first time meeting, so let me introduce myself. I''m Rome, Rome Ford.¡± ¡°Yo-u a-re wh-o¡­? Mr. Ford''s son? I thought you went missing years ago?¡± Mr. Jeffrey said, wiping his palm on his trouser to dry the sweat. ¡°I''m back. But I''m not here to y catch up. I came on behalf of my wife.¡± ¡°Right! Yes, Lady Catherine. Haha, she''s a very talented woman. T-he pro-ject! Hahaha, what I said Staring at the shaky smile on Mr. Jeffrey¡¯s face, Rome sat down and rested back on the couch, rubbing his index finger against his lip. ¡°I don''t want you to give my wife the project because of me, I need you to give it to her because she worked hard for that contract and got cheated out of it,¡± Rome stated, sounding a bit agitated. ¡°Cheated?¡± Mr. Jeffrey dumbfoundedly mumbling. Silence fell in the room, and ke suddenly dropped to his knees. He then looked at Rome for a moment, before gazing at Mr. Jeffrey. ¡°I am Miss Catherine''s secretary. The one you spoke to yesterday. I lied to you about everything. Lady Catherine did not go on a date with her husband, instead, she was at hotel Oscar waiting for you!¡± ke shouted, resting his palm against his thighs. ¡°What?¡± Mr. Jeffrey mumbled in dismay. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I gavedy Catherine the wrong address, so she wouldn''t get the contract. It was all Miss Chloe''s idea. She paid me to do it. I need the money for my mother''s hospital bills.¡± ¡°How could you do such a thing to your boss for money! You made me get angry at Miss Catherine for your self-gain! Shameless!¡± A look of annoyance settled on Rome''s. Then he narrowed his eyes and mumbled, ¡° hypocrite,¡± ¡°Did you say something, Sir?¡± Mr. Jeffrey humbly asked, staring at Rome. ¡°I have said everything that I wanted to say. I should be taking my leave.¡± ¡°So soon? You know my son came from out of the country the other day, and he brought some great wine! Please let me pull you a ss.¡± The sudden change in Mr. Jeffrey''s behavior wasn''t strange to Rome, and he didn''t wish to keep such deceitfulpany around him. So with a straight face, he stood from the couch and said, ¡°I will pass. I hope you make a sound decision, Mr. Jeffrey.¡± ¡°Haha, I understand. Now that I know Lady Catherine was tricked, it''s only fair that she gets the project.¡± Mr. Jeffrey said, extending his hand out towards Rome. But he ignored it and walked past Mr. Jeffrey, heading for the door. ¡°My young master doesn''t want his identity out. Except if you want to be an enemy to the Ford family, I advise that what you have learned today should remain a secret.¡± Mr. Ondo said, staring at Mr. Jeffrey, then at ke. ¡°My lips are sealed!¡± Both of them said in unison. When the office door opened, Lucas hurried to his feet as he watched Mr. Jeffrey, Rome, Mr. Ondo, and ke walked out. When Rome and the others walked up to him, and his icy gaze met with Lucas''s stare, he looked at Mr. Jeffrey and said, ¡°Your secretary is an eyesore.¡± ¡°I will have him fired right away!¡± Mr. Jeffrey hastily said, bowing slightly. Within a split second, Lucas''s expression revealed nothing but shock. A minute after Rome, ke, and Mr. Ondo had left, he recovered from his state of shock and stared at Mr. Jeffrey. ¡°Sir, what wrong have I done to get fire?¡± Lucas cried. ¡°You looked down on the wrong person. Now clear your desk and leave.¡± Mr. Jeffrey replied. Then he turned around and headed into his office. The moment he sat down behind his desk, his phone started ringing, so he picked it up from the desk and answered the call. ¡°Mr. Jeffrey, I am d you answered.¡± Chloe''s voice echoed into his ears as he leaned back in his chair. ¡°What is it, miss Barlow?¡± Mr. Jeffrey mumbled with a frown. ¡°I know my cousin messed up, but that shouldn''t stop you from doing business with ourpany. That''s why I want us to meet and discuss the project.¡± ¡°There''s no need for that, Miss Chloe. Lady Catherine seems like the perfect person to handle this project.¡± ¡°But¡­ I...,¡± ¡°Goodbye,¡± The limousine stopped in front of a tiny house, and Rome''s gaze swayed from the windshield and focused on ke. "Thank you for the ride. I should get going. My mom will be waiting on me." He said, hanging his head low. ¡°You know what to do, right?¡± Rome said with calmness in his eyes. ¡°Yes, boss. I won''t let you down!¡± "Good. See youter." Gazing up at Rome, ke nodded his hand. Then he pushed the car door open and got out. ¡°Can we trust him?¡± Mr. Ondo asked, gazing at Rome through the V-mirror. ¡°We can,¡± Rome mumbled, turning his focus from the house and ced back on the windshield. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 The evening at the Barlow mansion was calm, but there was so much tension around the table as the family sat down for dinner. ¡°Grandpa,¡± Catherine said, barely able to contain her excitement. ¡°What is so important that you can''t wait for dinner to be over? Can''t you see that father is eating?¡± Dana, Chloe''s mother said, ring at Catherine. Gazing at Dana and her daughter, Rome faintly smiled when he saw the rage in their expression. It was clear to him that Mr. Jeffrey had turned Chloe down and given the contract back to his wife. ¡°I just wanted to tell grandfather that Mr. Jeffrey came to my office today, and we signed the contract for the five million dors projects,¡± Catherine mumbled, sighing softly. The fork fell from Mr. Barlow''s hand and he gazed at his granddaughter, smiling with his eyes. ¡°But how? He sounded so mad yesterday when he called me.¡± Mr. Barlow mumbled. ¡°I guess it''s because I have been calling him all morning and when he finally answered my call, he offered to bring the papers over to my office so we could sign it,¡± Catherine said, beaming at her grandfather. ¡°Good for you! That''s amazing. My granddaughter is truly hardworking.¡± ¡°Thanks, grandpa.¡± Suddenly, Madam Rosey stared away from her te, focused on Catherine, and said, ¡°I''m proud of you.¡± Everyone other than Rome, Catherine, Mr. Balow, and Madam Rosey were deeply unhappy about the news, and even though they tried to hide the fact that they were, none of them could bring themselves to smile. ¡°My wife is amazing,¡± Rome mumbled, smiling brightly at Catherine, and she couldn''t help but blush as she gazed into his eyes. Silence settled in the room for a moment, then Chloe banged her spoon on the table and said, ¡°Cousin, are you sure that you didn''t use some dirty trick to change Mr. Jeffrey¡¯s mind?¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Catherine asked, giving her cousin a cold stare. ¡°How can a man change his mind in a split second just because a woman called him countless times?¡± ¡°What are you getting at?¡± It got quiet, and Chloe noticed everyone''s gaze on her. Then she saw her mother slightly shaking her head. ¡°ndering your cousin''s name! Are you trying to bring shame to this family!¡± Mr. Barlow shouted, banging his hand on the table. ¡°Father, please forgive her. She''s just a child.¡± Elijah said, eyeing his daughter from across the table. ¡°She''s your child, so teach her some manners!¡± ¡°I will, father!¡± The look of disappointment she got from her parents caused Chloe to burn with rage. Then she suddenly burst into tears and said, ¡°When I called to schedule a meeting with Mr. Jeffrey, he said Catherine already asked him to a bar for them to discuss the contract. That''s why I assumed such a thing!¡± Hearing those words caused Rome''s heart to pump with rage as he watched Chloe cry her eyes out. Then he softly sighed to relieve himself of the tension he felt. ¡°Catherine, is that true?¡± Madam Rosey asked, frowning at her granddaughter. ¡°What? No! I didn''t meet Mr. Jeffrey at a bar. He came to my office, and all we did was sign the contract then he left.¡± ¡°Your cousin won''t be this upset if it wasn''t true.¡± The words in Catherine''s head seemed to have deserted her as she stared at her uncles and their wife''s judgmental faces. Then she became speechless when she noticed her grandmother scowling at her and her grandfather didn''t utter a word. ¡°My wife is not that kind of woman!¡± Rome said, unable to contain his anger any longer. ¡°Then why did Mr. Jeffrey gave her the contract the next day after he denied her the project because of her negligence,¡± Chloe shouted, sobbing loudly. Suddenly, ke walked into the dining room, then his eyes focused on Rome for a second before his gaze rested on Chloe''s shocked expression, and she then suddenly stopped sobbing. ¡°I visited Mr. Jeffrey this morning and told him the truth. That''s why he gave Lady Catherine the contract back.¡± ke said. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Catherine asked with a look of confusion on her face. ¡°I gave you the wrong address on purpose. It was because Miss Chloe asked me to.¡± ¡°What?¡± Noise arose around the table, and it took a while for everyone to settle down. ¡°How dare you throw usations at my daughter!¡± Elijah yelled, standing from his chair in a fate of rage. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Why can''t he if it''s the truth! You and your daughter can nder my child''s name, but she can''t be used of something she did!¡± Catherine''s father shouted, tightening his fists. It grew noise again with arguments between Dana and Catherine''s mother and Elijah and Catherine''s father. However, Andrew and William keep their silence along with their family. Finally, Mr. Barlow banged his hands on the table and it grew quiet. ¡°Young man, what proof do you have concerning your usation?¡± He asked, coldly staring at ke. ¡°I record all my calls,¡± ke said, taking his phone out of his pocket. Fear took over Chloe''s expression as she stared at her grandfather and softly cried, ¡°Grandpa.¡± But Mr. Barlow ignored her, stared at ke, and said, ¡°y the recording, young man.¡± With trembling hands, ke hit y, and it grew awfully silent as everyone listened attentively. After a few minutes, the recording came to an end and the silence dragged on for a while. Then Mr. Barlow stared at ke and said, ¡°Bring me the phone.¡± In hesitation, ke gazed at Rome, and when he slightly nodded, ke approached Mr. Barlow and handed the phone over to him. Then he watched as he dropped the phone in the wine ss. ¡°The truth is out, so you don''t need this. Also, starting from tomorrow, you don''t work for thepany. You can stop by to get your sry and the money for Your phone. Now get out!¡± Mr. Barlow coldly said. A look of confusion crossed ke''s face as he stared at Rome, then at Catherine before he lefted the dining room. ¡°Grandpa, I only did that because you gave the project to Catherine and not me! I am always the one cleaning up her mess and yet you give her such a good opportunity.¡± Chloe said, tearing up again. ¡°Who knows if you are the reason that I keep on messing up,¡± Catherine mumbled beneath her breath. Those words caused anothermotion to stir up again. ¡°Do not put your past failure on my daughter just because she made this one bad decision,¡± Dana said, scowling at Catherine. ¡°If she''s capable of making this bad decision, then she is also capable ofmitting past ones.¡± Catherine''s mothershed out. Within a matter of second, another argument aroused, and the dining room became extremely noisy with everyone throwing their opinions across the table. The argumentsted for a while, then Mr. Barlow banged the table twice before it could be quiet again. Then he gazed at everyone''s faces and said, ¡°Chloe, even if you were mad, sabotaging your cousin''s work is very wrong, and your behavior will not go unpunished. ¡®Punish? I have never been punished by my grandfather before.¡¯ Chloe thought, ring at Catherine. ¡°You areid off from work for two months and doing that time, you wouldn''t get paid. Also, your ck card will be confiscated.¡± ¡°What, grandfather? Please, no. I''m sorry!¡± ¡°My word is final!¡± No one spoke at the table afterward, but the tension was still in the atmosphere. After dinner was over, Rome left the dining room and headed upstairs, leaving Catherine and her family downstairs. Once he was in their bedroom, he shut the door behind him and made a call. ¡°Young master, ke''s mother''s hospital bill has been paid for and she will be prep for surgery tomorrow.¡± Mr. Ondo''s voice flowed out of the phone speakers. ¡°Good,¡± Rome said. The moment he ended the call, Catherine walked into the room, and when her eyes met with his, she smiled. Without taking his sight of her, Rome reached into his pocket and pulled out a chain with a tiny heart locket. ¡°What''s that?¡± Catherine mumbled, beaming at him. ¡°I got my first payment today from my part-time job, and I thought to get you something,¡± Rome said, holding her hand and putting the ne onto her palm. Her eyes lit up as she stared at it and said, ¡°I love it. How much did it cost you?¡± ¡°Two hundred thousand dors,¡± Rome mumbled, knowing that she wasn''t going to believe him even though it was the truth and the little stones in the heart locket were actual diamonds. With a look of disbelief on Catherine''s face, she stared at him, he softly chuckled and said, ¡°I am just kidding. It was twenty bucks. You don''t mind that it''s not expensive?¡± ¡°Not at all. It''s the thought that counts.¡± Catherine said, giving Rome a peck kiss on his cheek. Then she turned around, and he helped her to put the ne around her neck. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. I will definitely make all of them pay for their sins.¡¯ Rome thought when Catherine faced him, and he gazed at the locket resting on her chest. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Two months went by naturally and during that time, Rome had watched Catherine''s cousins avoid her, treating her like an outsider just as their parents did to her. But she found a new friendship with him, and both of them became a bit closer than before. Although they were far from acting like a married couple, she felt a bit at ease around him and that was more than he could ask for. That morning when Rome rolled over in bed, his hand touched Catherine''s arm, and he slowly raised his eyelids and stared at her. ¡®I can''t believe we''ve been sleeping in the same bed for a week now. All thanks to that cold I caughtst week.¡¯ Rome thought, staring at her longshes. Suddenly, Catherine''s eyes opened, and they stared at each other for a while. Then she got out of bed without saying a word to him. ¡°Good morning, wife,¡± Rome shouted, staring at her back. Without replying, Catherine rushed into the bathroom and mmed the door shut. ¡°She''s cute when she blushes,¡± Rome mumbled, pushing the nket off him. Suddenly, the bedroom door opened and Chloe marched in, ring at Rome. ¡°Where''s Catherine?¡± She said, rolling her eyes at him. ¡°In the bathroom,¡± Rome said, gazing away from her. Both of them waited awkwardly for a while, then Catherine came out of the bathroom, and a frown surface on her face when she saw her cousin. ¡°What do you want?¡± Catherine asked, letting out a harsh breath. ¡°Grandpa called for a meeting in his study,¡± Chloe said with a frown. Then she walked out of the room and mmed the door shut. ¡°I wondered what it could be about?¡± Catherine mumbled, gazing at Rome with worry in her eyes. However, those were his exact thoughts too. The past months have been going so well, but Rome knew that that didn''t mean the storm was over yet. He had his best men watching Charles, Chloe, Jeff, and Richard''s every move, and the fact that they had done nothing wrong had only made Rome more suspicious of them. ¡°I should go and see what the meeting is about,¡± Catherine said, staring at Rome. He nodded his head, but she didn''t move or take her sight of him. ¡°Do you want me to tag along?¡± Rome mumbled, noticing the stress in her expression. For someone who had lived with the Barlow family for months and had seen their awful ways, he knew Catherine was afraid to walk into that room because she is constantly looked down upon more often than the other cousins. ¡°It''s okay. They might just find a reason to humiliate you.¡± Catherine said with worry still beaming in her eyes. ¡°I''m going to support my wife, so I don''t care what they say about me?¡± Rome said, smiling at Catherine. But she rolled her eyes at him, yet she couldn''t help but faintly smile back. ¡°Fine. But don''t say or do anything. My cousins are like bloodthirsty sharks waiting for the right time to strike. Give them an upportunty and they will use it to their advantage.¡± Catherine mumbled. ¡°Okay, I won''t,¡± Rome replied. A few minutester, both of them arrived in the study room and it seemed like the entire family was already there. ¡°You sessfully managed a project, and now you think you are above others, making everyone wait on you,¡± Dana mumbled, ring at Catherine and Rome. ¡°Why are youte? Didn''t your cousin call for you a while ago?¡± Mr. Barlow said with a frown. Staring at her grandfather, Catherine softly exhaled and said, ¡°She did. I''m sorry, grandpa. It won''t This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. happen again.¡± But Mr. Barlow ignored her apology and gazed away from her. ¡°Are you two not going to sit down, or you guys are waiting for some special treatment. Also, why did you bring your worthless man with you, he got nothing to offer to this meeting.¡± Elijah said, scowling at Rome. ¡°I beg her to tag along because I want to learn,¡± Rome mumbled without meeting Elijah¡¯s eyes. No one spoke for a while as Rome and Catherine took their seat on the couch. ¡°Well, now that everyone is here. Chloe, your punishment has been lifted. You can return to work.¡± Mr. Barlow said, clearing his throat. ¡°Thank you, grandfather. I promise that I have learned my lesson.¡± Chloe said, staring at Charles, Jeff, and Richard, but they all avoided her gaze. Although the four of them worked together, they weren''t afraid to take each other down because the only thing they all cared about was being the top inheritor of the family wealth. ¡°There are four huge ounts avable. I heard, MC group, Roand INC, Skylightpany, and the Fine wine industry are looking for apany to manage their projects.¡± Mr. Barlow said with a straight face. The Barlow family is well known for gaining their wealth from theirpany, ¡°DreamTeam Serviceable¡± which delivers projects for their customers, and it is about running projects as their business. ¡°Skylightpany? I am friends with the chairman''s son. I can handle getting the ount.¡± Charles said. ¡°Roand INC and I have worked together before and the CEO was satisfied with my work, so I can take over getting the ount,¡± Jeff said, eyeing Charles''s cold gaze. The tension in the study intensifies within a matter of seconds. ¡°I can get the MC group''s ount if grandfather would allow me,¡± Catherine mumbled, avoiding staring at her family''s faces. ¡°Haha, do you think MC group is a small corporation like Greenfieldpany? Just because you manage to handle such a small project, doesn''t mean that you are ready for a incorporation like MC.¡± Elijah said, staring at his father. It fell silent for a minute, then Mr. Barlow stared at his wife, cleared his throat, and said, ¡°Catherine, you can sit this want out. Chloe will have the MC group, and Richard will handle the Fine wine industry.¡± ¡°But, grandfather.¡± Catherine cried, holding in her tears. This was not the first time she had got overlooked and belittled and it was frustrating her, and when Rome gazed at her, he could see hurt in her eyes, and it enraged him. ¡°How can you be so selfish? You had just worked on a project and your cousin had to stay home for two months. Do you know how depressed she was? Can you feel pity towards your cousin?¡± Dana said, scowling at Catherine. ¡°It was not my daughter''s fault that your child had to stay home for such a long time, so why does she have to feel pity towards her?¡± Catherine¡¯s mother mumbled. A frown settled on Mr. Barlow''s face. Then he scowled at both women and gazed at Catherine¡¯s father. ¡°Edward, your wife seems to be crossing the line. Get her in order!¡± ¡°Sorry, father. It won''t happen again.¡± Catherine''s father said, giving his wife an icy stare. In the Company, Elijah had the highest ounts registered under him, and his connection in the business world is wild,pared to his oldest brother, Edward was nothing but a mere shadow of his brother''s image. ¡°Mr. Ford will be having a party this weekend, and all the top-notch in the business circle are going to be there. We got invited, and it''s a perfect opportunity for us to get those ounts.¡± Mr. Barlow said. At that moment, Madame Rosey¡¯s gaze met Rome¡¯s unbothered eyes, and she scowled at him. ¡°Don''t embarrass our family. We all know your history with Mr. Ford, so behave yourself when we get there.¡± Madame Rosey harshly said. However, all Rome did was beam at her and nodded his head. ¡°Mother, he''s just a fool with nothing to contribute to this family, so remind me why he''s going again?¡± William said, faintly chuckling. ¡°The entire family got an invitation, including him, that''s why. If not, he would have stayed home with the servants since there''s no use in bringing him with us!¡± Madame Rosey said, rolling her eyes at Rome. When Catherine gazed at Rome, she couldn''t help but feel bad that she was the reason he''s getting scolded by her family. ¡°Grandma, Rome is trying to be better. He''s been doing some part-time jobs these past months, and he¡¯s been making a few dors.¡± Catherine softly said, staring at her wedding ring as she twisted it on her finger. ¡°Do you hear yourself, grandchild? The Barlow family son-inw is a part-time worker? That''s so disgraceful! Keep your husband in check at the party.¡± Madam Rosey said. ¡°Yes, grandmother.¡± ¡°Good! This family has had enough humiliation for you too.¡± After the meeting was over, Rome went back to the room, and at that moment, his phone rang, and he answered the call. ¡°Young Master, your father wants to have a brunch with you at the ckStar golf courtyard.¡± Mr. Ondo¡¯s voice echoed out of the phone speakers. ¡°What is this breakfast date about?¡± Rome asked, massaging the back of his neck. Every interaction with the Barlow family had him feeling tense and excited at the same time. ¡°It''s about your birthday party.¡± ¡°Okay. Pick me up at our usual meeting spot.¡± Chapter 14 Chapter 14 The taxi stopped at the old railway onne street, and Rome got out of the car. Then he waited for the driver to drive off before he approached the ck Land Rover Defender and got in. ¡°Good morning, young master.¡± Mr. Ondo said, gazing at Rome from the front seat. ¡°Morning,¡± Rome absentmindedly replied because his entire thought was on getting Catherine those ounts and figuring out a way to go about it. The driver drove off, and a few minutester, they made a stop at ¡°Entourage Men Wear,¡± and Mr. Ondo and Rome headed into the building. The clerk rushed over to them and slightly bowed. Then he raised his head and said, ¡°Your father had already made a call to us. Your outfit is in the VIP room. Please follow me, sir.¡± ¡°This is Jerry. He has been responsible for master wearing for a long time, including yours, when you were little.¡± Mr. Ondo said, staring at Rome. ¡°I can remember.¡± He replied, smiling at Jerry. Then Rome followed him, and he led him into a luxury room in the back of the boutique. After a few minutes had passed, Rome came out wearing a dapper grey suit with a ck t-shirt, and designer shoes without socks. ¡°Why is that old man making me dress up?¡± Rome mumbled, staring at his reflection in the mirror in the corner of the room. ¡°I don''t know, young master. But we should get going.¡± Mr. Ondo said, gazing at his watch. They said their goodbyes to Jerry, left the store, and got back into the car. A few minutester, Land Rover drove into the ckStar¡¯s parking lot and Rome got out. Then he followed Ondo into the building, and without speaking to the fellow at the counter, they marched directly into the VIP area and entered a room. The moment Rome''s gaze met with his father''s eyes, he smiled, but all he got was an icy stare. ¡°You can leave the room.¡± Mr. Ford said, ring at Mr. Ondo. He slightly bowed and hurried out the door, shutting it close behind him. ¡°Son!¡± Mr. Ford said, beaming at Rome. Feeling speechless, all he did was stare at his father''s face with confusion in his eyes. ¡°Why have you abandoned your old man? I barely see you these days. Do I need to schedule a meeting before seeing my son?¡± Mr. Ford mumbled, frowning at Rome for a second. ¡°I am sorry, father. But I can''t be seen with you just yet.¡± Rome said, taking a seat on the couch. ¡°Why, is it because of your wife''s family and the way they treat you?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I''m Mr. Ford. There''s no secret hidden from me in this country. Say the word and I can have the entire Barlow family crumbling to dust.¡± Staring at his father¡¯s serious expression, Rome drew in a long breath, slowly exhaled, and said, ¡°It will hurt her, and I don''t want that. I have my ns, and that doesn''t include her losing everything, instead, it''s about her gaining it all.¡± ¡°Do you love her that much?¡± Mr. Ford mumbled, stroking his beard. ¡°It''s not about love. It''s because she deserves it. After all, she''s the only Barlow with an innocent soul and pure heart. Our first encounter made me understand that.¡± ¡°Wow, my son is so wise. You takes after your mother. She had a better judgment of people. Ahah, I miss her so much.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± The two of them sat in silence for a while, then Rome huffed and said, ¡°So, breakfast? I''m starving.¡± ¡°Do the Barlows not feed you? You sure you don''t want me to destroy them!¡± Mr. Ford said, mming his hand on the table. ¡°Yes, I''m sure. I am only hungry because I was looking forward to having brunch with you, and I didn''t want to be full when I arrived.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, dad.¡± After doubtfully staring at Rome, Mr. Ford tittered, and said, ¡°I was looking forward to us having breakfast too. But this is not only a father and son brunch.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rome asked. ¡°I have a few guys that I want you to me.¡± ¡°Father, I¡­¡± ¡°I know what you about to say, but all these guys owe me huge debts and are hungry to offer services for the new 2.5 billion resort that I''m nning on building. So they are under my control.¡± ¡°Fine. Since that''s the case. Let''s meet your buddies.¡± In excitement, Mr. Ford pped his hands together and said, ¡°Great, I can wait to rub the fact that I have an heir in the faces of those old geese!¡± ¡°Is this about you showing me off?¡± ¡°Since I can''t celebrate your birthday openly and the party has a secret theme, I think it''s only best that some top-notch know that I''m not just celebrating, but I''m celebrating my son.¡± Standing from the couch, Rome faintly smiled at his father, and said, ¡°Let''s go then. We don''t want to keep your guys waiting.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. A few minutester, Mr. Ford and Rome arrived in a huge, fancy dinner hall and every eye focused on them. All the twenty-five men around the table looked older and filthy rich. ¡°Hey, isn''t this Lady Catherine worthless husband? Mr. Ford, why are you hanging out with such a loser? From what I heard, he''s less than the servant in the Barlow household because of how useless he is.¡± One of them said. ¡°Robert, it seems like you a chattering bird who likes to spit out garbage. Well, I hope you can be able to exin to the media why your constructionpany suddenly lost millions of dors investment.¡± Mr. Ford said with a frown. ¡°But¡­ What did are do?¡± ¡°You can leave now. Also, I will be collecting my Fifty million dors debt tomorrow. Your deadline had been up two months ago.¡± When Rome gazed at Mr. Ford, pure anger was the only thing he saw in his eyes, and he finally understood what he meant to his father and why everyone fears him. ¡°B-ut Mr. Ford, you say that you were going to give me additional time to pay up the loan. You know how tight money is for mypany right!¡± Robert cried, lifting his shoulder in a half shrug. ¡°Don''t worry. After tomorrow, when yourpany bes mine, money will not be its problem.¡± Mr. Ford coldly said, jamming his hands in his front pockets. ¡°Please, Mr. Ford. Give me other chance and I promise that I wouldn''t be a chattering bird who spit garbage.¡± ¡°Now leave! My mind is already made up! Now get out, or you will get dragged out!¡± The dinner hall became extremely quiet as everyone watched Robert walked out of the room with his head hung low. When the door shut, Mr. Ford looked at the faces of everyone around the table and asked, ¡°Does anyone have anything else to say about my son!¡± A loud noise quickly aroused around the table, and the fact that the lost heir of the Ford family was the useless son-inw of the Barlow family shocked everyone, and it took a while for them toe to turn with it. ¡°You found your son?¡± One of the men asked, gazing wide-eyed at Rome. The sudden attention, he was getting from his father¡¯s associates was a bit overwhelming because he could already tell from their expressions that they were ready to suck up to him. ¡°Yes. Actually, we found each other. But he''s not really to acknowledge me, so I hope his identity can remain in this room.¡± Mr. Ford said, maintaining eye contact with his associates. None of them uttered a word, but he knew from their expression that their lips were sealed. Then his gaze swayed away from them and stared at Rome, and he patted him on his back, pulling him closer. ¡°Let me introduce you to my colleagues.¡± Mr. Ford said, staring at the faces around the table. As Rome listen to his father called out the names of the twenty-four men and theirpany, four particr names caught his attention. ¡°Bill, chairman of MC group, Elon, chairman of Roand INC, Francis, chairman of Skylightpany, and Benjamin, chairman of Fine wine industry.¡± Rome said out loud, staring at the faces of the four men. Their attention got drawn to him as they waited on him to say something, but Rome maintained his silence. Yet he could see the curiosity in their expression. ¡°As you all know, I am hosting a party this weekend. But what I didn''t state in the invitation is that it''s my son''s birthday.¡± Mr. Ford said. It grew noisy again as everyone tried to congratte Mr. Ford and offer their birthday greeting to Rome. It took a while before total silence fell in the hall and everyone settled down. ¡°He might not be ready to openly take over my business, but as my heir, his words and judgment are mines, and anyone who messes with him will find fault with me.¡± Mr. Ford intoned. Then he coldly gazed at everyone''s faces and said, ¡°Now that that''s said, let''s feast!¡± A few minutester, the table was crowded with exquisite cuisine, and everyone focused on their foods. After breakfast was over, they all indulged in conversations about business while sipping on the finest wines. Then Bill, Elon, Francis, and Benjamin approached Rome with smiles on their faces. ¡°Hello, fellows.¡± He mumbled, adjusting thepels of his coat. ¡°Well, you mentioned our names a while ago and we were wondering if there''s anything you need of us,¡± Elon said, gazing at Bill, then Francis and Benjamin. ¡°I heard that you guys are interested in my father''s new resort, and it is turned out that my wife is interested in you guys'' ounts. Am I making sense?¡± Rome intoned, casually staring at the four of them. ¡°Well, yes, we do understand what you are saying.¡± Bill uttered, eyeing the others. ¡°But we need to know how you want us to go about it,¡± Benjamin mumbled. A smirk surfaced on Rome¡¯s lips. Then he threaded his hand through his hair, and said, ¡°Stay put and wait on my order.¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 The weekend finally arrived, and it was Saturday. A day such as this was a time for the Barlow cousins to rx and spend their dors on clubbing, shopping, and other stuff. But today, the four of them spend the morning in the old-fashioned chamber in the east wing, wallowing in depression as they sat on the couch. ¡°So, have any of younded the ount yet?¡± Chloe said, staring at her cousins and hoping for a negative response from them. The four of them had kept speech from each other as they worked all week tond the ounts. ¡°Well, no. The people in ''Fine wine industry wouldn''t even talk to me about the ount. It''s like it doesn''t exist.¡± Richard said, letting out a harsh breath. ¡°The same thing happened to me. The CEO of Roadnd INC refused to see me on several asions.¡± Jeff said with a frown. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah, I had to stalk him for days. When I finally got the chance to talk to him, he blew me off and said that he was busy.¡± Surprise, then disbelief, crossed their features as they stared at each other. Then Chloe gazed at Charles and slyly said, ¡°I am sure you got the Skylightpany''s ount because you and Leo are best buddies.¡± ¡°Well, no. He said that his father told him to let the ount be and that he will decide on who to give the ount to.¡± Charles mumbled, tightening his hand into fist. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. For a moment she stared at him in disbelief, and then her eyes red with renewed anger. ¡°It''s the same for me. No one from the MC group would tell me anything about the ount.¡± Chloe said, running her hand through her hair. They sat in silence for a while deep in their thoughts. Then Charles unclenched his fists, and he gave a mirthlessugh and stated, ¡°We still have tonight. Remember, all the top-notch individuals will be there, and among those people, the Chairmans of MC group, Roand INC, Skylightpany, and Fine wine industry will be there.¡± ¡°Right. Tonight we get those ounts by any means necessary.¡± Jeff said, gazing at his cousins. Suddenly anger and fear crossed Chloe''s face as she stared at the other and softly intoned, ¡°If grandfather has to make our father get those ounts, we will all be looked down upon, and that would be the worst thing that can happen to any of us.¡± ¡°It''s not the worst thing that can happen, but Catherine getting those ounts is.¡± Richard absentmindedly mumbled. Silence settled in the atmosphere for a while, then the four of them burst intoughter. ¡°Yeah, right. Like she can.¡± Chloe mumbled, inspecting her fingernails. ¡°If she can, I will go bald,¡± Charles said with a smirk. ¡°I want to see you hairless, but I know that Catherine can''t get those ounts,¡± Jeff mumbled with a hint of sadness in his voice. After a brief moment of silence, Chloe stood from the couch and smoothed down her skirt. Then she smiled and said, ¡°Well, I have ns to make. Excuse me.¡± Raising their eyebrows in disbelief, the three of them watched as Chloe walked out of the room. Then Richard turned to Charles and asked, ¡°What do you think her ns are?¡± But Charles ignored his question, got up from his seat, and left the chamber. ¡°Knowing Chloe, whatever her ns are, it is going to be trouble,¡± Jeff said, standing from the couch. Then he briefly gazed at his cousin before walking away. ¡°I guess we are all not on speaking terms again,¡± Richard mumbled. As Romeid in bed, staring at Catherine''s reflection in the mirror, the sadness he saw in her eyes, ache his heart a bit. Since both of them woke up, he had caught her sulking several times, and each time she looked sadder. ¡°Are you going to brush your hair?¡± Rome mumbled, sitting up. Softly exhaling, Catherine rested her chin on her palm, eyeing the brush from the corner of her eyes. ¡°I don''t feel like it.¡± She mumbled, letting out another sigh. A yawn escaped Rome''s lips as he got out of bed. Then he picked up the brush and gently ran it through Catherine''s hair. ¡°Talk to me, wife? What''s bothering you?¡± Rome mumbled, taking a huge lock of her hair in his hand and brushing through it. ¡°Well, I want to prove to my grandfather and grandmother that I can get at least one of those ounts,¡± Catherine mumbled, staring at Rome''s reflection. ¡°Okay, then get it. If you are confident enough that you can get those ounts, then go for it.¡± ¡°But grandpa said¡­¡± ¡°Forget what he said. What do you want?¡± Hesitation clouded Catherine¡¯s expression then she took in a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and said with confidence, ¡°I want to sign the contracts for all four of those ounts.¡± ¡°Ambitious, that''s my wife! Go for it! Tonight, walk up to those chairmen and page your proposal to them.¡± Rome said with excitement in his eyes. ¡°Should I?¡± ¡°You should!¡± The daylight faded naturally, and at nine o''clock, everyone in the Barlow household was dressed for the party. When they grabbed in the living room at nine-fifteen, Madam Rosey red at Rome and said, ¡°Stay away from Mr. Ford and don''t talk to anyone at the party because everyone there is out of your league. So make yourself invisible if you have to.¡± But the only response she got from Rome was a faint smile and no words. However, her mind was too upied to remark on his behavior, so she scowled at him and they all left the mansion. Then at nine-thirty-five, their cars drove out of the fence, and at ten o''clock, they arrived at the Paradise Hotel. Catherine''s Mercedes came to a stop and she and Rome stepped onto the red carpet. Her silver backless long elegant gown tail dragged on the carpet as she held onto Rome''s arm, and felt d that she bought him a nice designer suit that matches with her dress because there were cameras everywhere. And their lights kept shing in their faces when he led her into the building. When they entered the grand hall, Rome gasped in disbelief at how much effort his father put into The decoration for a party that had no theme. The entire hall was glowing in blue LED lighting with fancy chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The tables were upied with fancy champagne towels, expensive wines, appetizers, cocktails, savory cuisine. After staring around for a bit, Rome escorted Catherine to the other end of the hall, where Mr. Ford was interacting with a few of his business buddies. When his gaze met with his father''s calm eyes, he slightly bowed and said, ¡°Hello, Mr. Ford. My wife and I want to pay our humble respect to you and extend our gratitude to you for inviting us to your event. I must say, the decoration is to my liking.¡± ¡°Your gratitude is appreciated.¡± Mr. Ford said, keeping a straight face. Then he gazed at Catherine softly smiling at him, so he faintly smiled and said, ¡°So this is the lovely ¡°Thank you, sir. It is an honor to meet you.¡± Catherine said, slightly bowing. ¡°Let us forget about the formality. Mr. Ford is just fine.¡± ¡°Yes, sir¡­ I mean, Mr. Ford.¡± Noticing Catherine''s hand slightly trembling, Rome entangled his fingers with hers and beamed at her when she gazed at him. ¡°I heard from Mr. Jeffrey about how well you managed his project, and that the result was impable. We might just work together in the future if I need a project manager.¡± Mr. Ford said without losing his smile. ¡°Really! I will be forever indebted to you if that happens. Thank you. Thank you!¡± Catherine said, struggling to breathe because of excitement. Having his father boost his wife''s confidence was only the first step to the ns Rome had for tonight. Now that she had been praised by the wealthiest man in the country, he could see the change in Catherine''s mood and that her eyes had lit up, and it was time for the next step of his n. The rest of the Barlow family arrived in the hall and Elijah was the first to spot Rome and Catherine talking with Mr. Ford. ¡°The night had just begun, and those two have already started causing problems for our family.¡± He said, staring at his father. ¡°Tonight, we can''t afford to offend Mr. Ford. We need to get those two idiots away from him right this instant.¡± Madam Rosey said, squeezing her hands into fists. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 The smile on Catherine''s face kept widening as she and Mr. Ford engaged in further discussions while Rome stood by, maintaining his silence. ¡°What is going on here?¡± Mr. Barlow calmly asked with a hint of anger in his tone when he met up with Catherine and Rome. The instant her gaze met with her grandfather''s angry eyes, Catherine''s self-confidence dropped back to zero and panic was the only thing she felt. Inside, Rome was enrage, seeing traces of fear in his wife''s expression, yet he kept a calm face. The rest of the Barlow family met up with Mr. Barlow, and when Chloe''s and Catherine''s eyes met, she threw her cousin a hard look then slyly smiled. None of them said a word as they waited eagerly for Madam Rosey and Mr. Barlow tosh out and humiliate the couple. But as Mr. Barlow moved his lips to utter a word, his eyes rested on Mr. Ford cold stare, and his entire expression softened. Then he focused his attention on him and said, ¡°Mr. Ford, a pleasant greeting to you.¡± ¡°Ahh, Greeting me like a friend, but you have been deceiving me this entire time.¡± Mr. Ford said with a frown. Fear crossed Madam Rosey and her husband''s faces as they gazed at each other, then back at Mr. Ford with a pleading look on their faces. ¡°I didn''t know my good-for-nothing son-inw was indebted to you until he married my granddaughter. He and his scheming father tricked us!¡± Mr. Barlow said, scowling when his gaze fell upon Rome. ¡°Yes. He''s just a nobody who took advantage of our family name and lied to us. He''s nothing but a liability to us. If you don''t want him here we can send him home.¡± Madam Rosey said, throwing Rome a hard look. A frown flickered across Mr. Ford''s face, hearing them speak of his only heir in such a manner. But he stared at his son''s calmed expression, sighed, and said, ¡°I''m talking about the hidden gem you have among your grandkids.¡± It grew silent between all of them. Then a faint smile surfaced on Charles, Chloe, Jeff, Richard, and their parents¡¯ lips as they all wallowed in self-proud. But Catherine hung her head low to avoid the dirty look they were giving her and her parents. ¡°You have good eyes, Mr. Ford. But which one of our grandchildren are you referring to? Chloe, Charles, Jeff, Richard¡­¡± Madam Rosey said, smiling brightly. ¡°No, Catherine.¡± Mr. Ford said with a straight face. Shock took over the expressions of the Barlow family, including Catherine as they stared wide-eyed at him. For a moment, he nced at his son, then he smirked and said, ¡°She''s a diamond in the rust. Why have you been hiding such great talent all this time?¡± No one from the Barlow family spoke for a while as they all eyed each other with a look of disbelief on their faces. ¡°Well, I''m honored that my granddaughter caught your attention. To be honest, I haven''t been hiding her, she just hasn''t been doing much around thepany.¡± Mr. Barlow said, feeling a bit embarrassed. ¡°Nonsense, I have heard how sessful Mr. Jeffrey''s project turned out, how can she not be doing much with such great skills. Is it that you are not giving her the chance to prove herself?¡± Mr. Ford said, frowning at him. ¡°How can that be? Catherine is our precious granddaughter.¡± Madam Rosey said, grabbing onto Catherine''s hand as she smiled brightly at her. Feeling lost for words, Elijah gazed at his wife and she whispered to him, ¡°What''s going on.¡± With a frown, he lifted his shoulder in a half shrug and gazed away from her. Then his eyes rested on Andrew and William and they and their wives seemed just as shocked as him. Hate, anger, and jealousy were the only emotions the four cousins felt, and as Mr. Ford continued praising Catherine, their rage only seemed to intensify, yet they kept their silence. The frown on Chloe''s face softened when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Then she turned, gazing at the man standing behind her, and her lips curved into a smile. ¡°Grandmother, grandfather, please meet, Kremlin. He''s my date.¡± Chloe said, taking his hand in hers. A smile surfaced on Madam Rosey and her husband''s faces, staring at their granddaughter and her date with pride in their expressions. A frown flickered across Charles''s forehead as he stared at his cousin and thought, ¡®The mayor''s son. So this was your n, you sly fox! Having a man from a powerful background as your backing for tonight.¡¯ Staring away from Catherine and focusing his eyes on Chloe, Mr. Ford scowled and said, ¡°How rude! Is N?velDrama.Org (C) content. she your granddaughter, Mr. Barlow?¡± The smile on Mr. Barlow''s face quickly faded as he eyed Chloe and said, ¡°Yes, she is.¡± ¡°Did you raise her to interrupt her elders when they are having a discussion?¡± ¡°Not at all. Chloe, apologize to Mr. Ford right now!¡± Anger shot through her when she stared at her parents and didn''t get a reaction from them. Feeling helpless, Chloe gazed at her date, but he looked the other way, and she realized that she had to bear the humiliation and apologize. ¡°I''m sorry,¡± Chloe mumbled, staring at the floor. ¡°Kremlin, you should be careful about the people you date, or else your father might just lose my support because of that.¡± Mr. Ford said, giving the Mayor''s son an icy stare. ¡°I understand, sir,¡± Kremlin said with a humble expression. Then he gazed at Chloe and mumbled, ¡°Thank you for inviting me to be your date, but I got somewhere to be right now, so I''m gonna take my leave.¡± Words deserted Chloe as she watched Kremlin softly smiled, then walked away. ¡°What just happened?¡± Jeff whispered to Richard, striving not tough. ¡°I think Chloe''s n just blew up in her face,¡± Richard mumbled with a slight smile. ¡°How did she get on Mr. Ford''s bad side?¡± ¡°How should I know?¡± Anger stirred within Elijah, but he forced a smile as he stared at Mr. Ford, and said, ¡°I''m sorry that my daughter offended you.¡± ¡°If she was half as virtuous as Catherine, she wouldn''t be so ill-bred. I''m highly disappointed.¡± Mr. Ford stated, gazing away from Elijah. Then he frowned at Mr. Barlow and Madam Rosey, slightly shook his head, and walked away. ¡°I have never felt so humiliated in my entire life, and for Mr. Ford to look down on our family upbringing, a total shame!¡± Mr. Barlow firmly intoned, ring at his son. ¡°Father¡­¡± Elijah uttered, lowering his head. A look of disappointment red across Mr. Barlow''s face as he stared at Chloe. Then he sighed and said, ¡°Getting the ount for the MC group will be handled by Catherine. Chloe is banned from interfering with the ount.¡± ¡°Grandfather,¡± Chloe cried, crackling with anger. ¡°Shut up!¡± Madam Rosey said with a frown. Tears welled up in Chloe''s eyes as she stared at her family member¡¯s faces. Then she stormed away, sniffing softly. Although Edward and his wife maintained their silence, the smile on their faces grew wider when his brothers and their wives gazed their way. ¡°Catherine, can you handle getting the ount?¡± Mr. Barlow asked, gently gazing at his granddaughter. A feeling of self-doubt seized Catherine as she gazed into her grandfather''s eyes. Then she felt Rome squeezed her hand, and she softly smiled. ¡°Yes, I can,¡± Catherine said, lightly squeezing Rome''s hand. ¡°Good, make grandfather proud.¡± ¡°I will.¡± After faintly smiling at her, Mr. Barlow and Madam Rosey walked away, and a few minutester, the rest of the family went their separate ways. ¡°Do you remember what you told me this morning?¡± Rome asked, taking Catherine''s hands in his. For a moment, she stared into his eyes. Then she slightly nodded with a soft smile and said, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you still feel that way?¡± ¡°Umm... yes!¡± ¡°Good, let''s go get those ounts.¡± Chapter 17 Chapter 17 The musicians kept ying ssic tunes as the guests enraged themselves in discussions, munching on appetizers, and dancing. ¡°The way the night is going, you might just end up shaving your hair.¡± Jeff teased, smiling at Charles, but he got an icy stare in return. ¡°Catherine may be assigned to that ount, but just as it was easy for it to be taken from Chloe and passed onto her, it''s that easy to snitch it from her grip,¡± Charles replied with a frown. Then red at his cousin before walking away, heading towards Bill. ¡°What is he up to?¡± Jeff mumbled, scowling as he watched Charles meet up with the chairman of the MC group. At the same time, Catherine and Rome were in the process of walking towards Bill when she saw her cousin and him talking, and she stopped in her tracks. ¡°What''s wrong, wife?¡± Rome softly asked, sadly gazing at her. ¡°My cousin is nning on killing two birds with one stone. Since that''s his intention, then I''m going to take a step.¡± Catherine mumbled with a slight smile. ¡°Why are you letting them step all over you? That ount was rightfully given to you by your grandfather, you''re just going to disappoint him by letting Charles have it?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No, but. Look into my eyes.¡± A look of hesitation crossed Catherine''s face. Then she took a deep breath and gazed directly into her husband¡¯s eyes. ¡°You are just as qualified to get those ounts as any of your cousins, so what''s stopping?¡± Rome said, resting his palm against her cheek. ¡°Nothing,¡± Catherine mumbled, smiling softly. ¡°Then don''t let nothing hold you back.¡± ¡°You are right. The only person that can stand in my way, is myself and I am tired of being my stomping block.¡± A frown settled on Charles''s face as he stared at Bill and firmly said, ¡°Why can''t you give me the ount? I have spent minutes pitching a great proposal to you, and it''s not worth your interest!¡± ¡°How should I put this nice and simple? Your kind of ideas is old-fashioned and dull. I''m looking for a fresh mind with inspiration and creative concepts, not something sterile.¡± Bill casually said, taking a sip of his drink. At that moment, Catherine and Rome joined them, and Charles shot them an icy stare. But they ignored his mad eyes and gazed at Bill. ¡°Another Barlow. I already told your cousin that I''m not epting your family proposal for my ount.¡± Bill said, shoving his hand into his pocket. ¡°Charles is extremely brilliant and talented, but he doesn''t represent the entire Barlow family, and neither does his proposal. Please give me a chance to show you what it means.¡± Catherine said with a pleading expression. ¡°As you said, your cousin is extremely brilliant, if I didn''t like his n, what makes you think that you will be any different?¡± ¡°Because we are not the same. Maybe you might ept mine or not, but at least give me the chance to prove to you what I can do.¡± After taking another sip of his wine, Bill let out a deep sigh and said, ¡°Fine. Wow me, Miss Catherine.¡± Although she sounded confident, her heart was beating rapidly and her mind kept crowding with unnecessary thoughts until she felt Rome''s hands in hers, and everything suddenly became calm. Then without giving in to her fear, Catherine boldly pitched her proposal, making sure not to leave any details out. By the time she finished, Bill was staring wide-eyed at her with his jaw hanging loose. For a while, he thought Catherine was just a woman with a powerful husband, that''s why he had to give her the project. But after hearing her brief presentation, his mindset totally reauthors itself, making him see her as a woman with a powerful mind and excellent potential. ¡°That was perfect. Exactly what I envisioned for this project. I loved every single bit of your ns, and I can''t wait to work with you, Miss Catherine.¡± Bill said, extending his hand to her with a bright smile on his face. For a second, Catherine nced at Rome with happiness glowing in her. Then she held Bill¡¯s hand and shook it. ¡°Hey, Elon, Benjamin, Francis. Come here for a second.¡± Bill called out, letting go of Catherine''s hand. Gazing away from Richard for a moment, Elon stared at Bill and slightly smiled. Then he gazed back at him and said, ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°But I''m not done exining the rest of my proposal yet,¡± Richard said anxiously. ¡°I got to go.¡± ¡°How aboutter then?¡± ¡°There''s noter, kid. The contract is not yours.¡± In dismay, Richard watched as Elon walked away and met up with Bill. Then his gaze rested on Jeff sadly approaching him. ¡°Lost the ount?¡± He asked when his cousin came closer. ¡°Yep,¡± Jeff mumbled, standing by him with his hand resting in his pocket. Both of them stood in silence, staring at Charles and the others. ¡°Do you think he double-crossed us and got all four ounts?¡± Jeff asked with a frown. ¡°It wouldn''t be shocking if he did. Charles had always been like that, stepping on others to get what he wants.¡± Richard mumbled, tightening his grip on the ss. As Catherine stared at the faces of all the chairmen, gazing at her, she felt her breathing bing light, but she pulled herself together and kept a smile on her face. ¡°Miss Catherine''s ideas are pretty fascinating,¡± Bill said with a smile. ¡°Seriously?¡± Elon said, feeling a bit doubtful. Nodding slightly, Bill gazed at Catherine and said, ¡°Do you have a pitch for Roand INC?¡± For a moment, Catherine nced at Charles'' angry eyes. Then she took a deep breath and said, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, enlighten me, Miss Catherine,¡± Elon said, still feeling a bit skeptical. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. However, after spending a few minutes listening to her proposal, he had a chance of heart and a renewed mind. ¡°Wow, you weren''t kidding. She knows her stuff.¡± Elon said, smiling at Bill as he nodded happily. ¡°I must say, she reminds me of the young Mr. Barlow, full of energy and fantastic ideas!¡± Francis said with admiration. ¡°I don''t object to that,¡± Benjamin said, raising his ss to his lip. Everything felt like a dream to Catherine, hearing such words about herself, and with excitement glowing in her expression, she gazed at Rome and beamed at him. ¡°Miss Catherine, if it''s not too much to ask, ¡®will you be willing to handle all four ounts?¡± Elon said, and Catherine''s face went nk. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 ¡°What''s going on?¡± Madam Rosey mumbled, gazing in Carmen and Rome''s direction. Then she stared at her husband, and he seemed concerned as he watched his granddaughter, chatting happily with four of the biggest chairmen in the business circle. ¡°What do you think they are talking about?¡± Elijah asked with a frown. ¡°We wouldn''t know until we meet them. Let''s go.¡± Mr. Barlow said, sitting his wine ss on the table. Excitement was the only emotion Catherine felt as she gazed at the chairmen''s lively faces, knowing that her potential was getting the spotlight it''s deserved. Over the past years, she had struggled so many times to showcase her talent, yet she kept messing up for unknown reasons. However, now that she stood in the midst of the top-notches in the business world, she was sure that her past mistakes weren''t due to her fault. ¡°Bill, Elon, Francis, Benjamin, what could my granddaughter be saying to have you all so attentive.¡± Mr. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Barlow asked as he approached the group. ¡°Oh, we are running through some of her ideas for our projects,¡± Benjamin mumbled without looking at him. ¡°All four projects?¡± ¡°Yes. She got all four contracts. Such an excellent talent she has.¡± Numerous events happened tonight that left members of the Barlow family in dismay but none of those events shocked them like, hearing that Catherine got four multimillion-dor contracts within a matter of a day. ¡°You say what?¡± Elijah asked, gazing wide-eyed at Benjamin, but all he got was a dull stare as an answer. Staring at the four chairmen in disbelief, William frowned and said, ¡°That''s impossible. Catherine is just a child. How can you guys trust her with such valuable projects?¡± ¡°Because she earned it, unlike your son who tried to pitch a boring proposal to me,¡± Bill said, ring at him. At that moment, William''s gaze met with Charlies'' darting eyes, and he scowled, knowing that his son just messed up big time. Rage was what Mr. Balow felt while staring at his grandson, but he kept a calm expression as he focused his attention on the chairmen. ¡°So, what I''m hearing is that ¡®DreamTeam Serviceable¡¯ got all four ounts?¡± Mr. Barlow asked with a hint of uncertainty in his tone. ¡°Yes, all thanks to your granddaughter''s amazing business abilities,¡± Elon said, smiling at Catherine. Unable to continue listening to people praise his cousin, Charles walked away and joined Chloe, Jeff, and Richard. ¡°How does it feel stealing something that doesn''t belong to you?¡± Jeff asked, scowling at his cousin. ¡°Safe those words for Catherine,¡± Charles mumbled, standing next to Richard. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°She miraculously got all four ounts.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Well, not miraculously. She pitched the perfect proposals and ended up wowing all four Chairmen into giving her the contracts.¡± It grew quiet between the cousins for a moment. Then Richard stared at the others and said, ¡°This is what we all fear to happen. There''s no denying that Catherine is the most talented among us, that''s why we gang up to take her down.¡± ¡°But now, it seems like fate has taken a turn, giving her the advantage to shine. Gosh, I hate this! That should be us over there!¡± Jeff said, clutching his fist. Without saying a word, Chloe walked away, picked up a ss of wine from the waiter tray, and approached Catherine. When she was a few steps away from her cousin, she faked a trip, sshing the red wine on Rome since he shielded Catherine with his body. Horror clouded the chairmen¡¯s eyes as they stared at Rome¡¯s stained suit, but his expression remained calm. Every guest''s eyes were on Rome, yet he didn''t seem to mind the stares. Instead, he made himself look more pitiful and humble. ¡®Way to dig your own grave, Miss Chloe Barlow.¡¯ Bill thought, raising his brows as he took a casual sip of his wine. With a frown, Elon sighed and thought, ¡®Well, Mr. Ford isn''t going to be happy about you embarrassing his son, especially on his birthday celebration.¡¯ A looked of sadness crossed Catherine''s face as she stared at Rome and mumbled, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, wife. I feel bad that the expensive suit you bought has gotten ruin.¡± Rome mumbled with a smile while she cleaned his coat with a napkin. Staring away from the couple, Francis smirked and thought, ¡®What a good actor this dude is.¡¯ ¡®I should remind myself not to mess with Rome Ford. He seems like the kind of guy that can smile while stabbing a knife in your heart.¡¯ Benjamin thought, gazing away from Rome''s pitiful face. A faint smile crept on Chloe¡¯s lips as she stared at Catherine''s embarrassed expression. Then it slowly faded when she gazed at her grandfather and saw the anger in his eyes. ¡°What''s going on here?¡± Mr. Ford asked, walking towards Rome. Then a frown settled on his face when he gazed at his son stained clothes, but Rome slightly shook his head, knowing what was going through his father''s head. ¡°Mr. Barlow, please take your discourteous granddaughter home. What she did just now is disrespectful to me. Rome is my guest just like everyone here, even if he''s your useless son-inw.¡± Mr. Ford said with a calm expression. ¡°I apologize on behalf of my grandchild.¡± Mr. Barlow mumbled, hanging his head low. ¡°I don''t care what goes on in your house, but what your granddaughter did just now is uneptable! Teach her some manners, or else, I will.¡± ¡°I apologize again.¡± Without staring at his son, Mr. Ford walked away, fighting against his anger. ¡°We should go home. I think the family name has gotten ruined enough.¡± Madam Rosey mumbled, gazing at her husband. A whileter, the Barlow family left the party, got into their separate cars, and drove off. ¡°My wife is so cool,¡± Rome mumbled, adorably gazing at Catherine. Then she stared away from the car windshield, focused on his eyes, softly smiled, and said, ¡°Thank you for being there for me tonight.¡± ¡°Of course, you are my wife,¡± Rome mumbled, caressing her cheek. For a moment, they gazed deep into each other''s eyes. Then Catherine hastily looked the other way, feeling her face getting hot. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. This is just the beginning. I will bring them all down to their knees before your very eyes.¡¯ Rome thought, losing his cheerful smile. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ¡°What happened at that partyst night!¡± Madam Rosey shouted, ring at her grandchildren. The living room was awfully quiet as they all hung their head low, avoiding their grandmother''s icy gaze. ¡°Someone better start talking?¡± Rosey said, mming her hand against the chair arm. There was a long pause, then Charles gazed at Catherine and smirked. ¡°All this is Catherine''s fault.¡± He mumbled, pitifully staring at his grandmother. A look of disbelief settled on Jeff''s face as he threw his cousin a hard look and thought, ¡®What are you even talking about now?¡¯ Then he gazed at Richard and Chloe, and from their expression, Jeff could tell that they were thinking the same thing. ¡°How is Catherine to me here? She got all four ounts.¡± Edward asked, scowling at his nephew. ¡°That''s the problem, uncle. She got all three ounts that weren''t assigned to her.¡± Charles said, shifting his gaze to the floor. A devilish smile crept onto Chloe when she finally understood exactly what her cousin was doing. Then she lost the smile, sadly stared at her grandmother, and said, ¡°Don''t you think it''s suspicious that Catherine just so happens to have the perfect proposal for all four Catherine.¡± When Madam Rosey¡¯s cold gaze swayed towards Catherine, her heart sunk, knowing that her grandmother had fallen for her cousin''s scheme just like all the countless times she did. ¡°Do you have anything to say for yourself, youngdy?¡± Madam Rosey asked, ring at her granddaughter. ¡°Mother,¡± Catherine''s father said, feeling sorry for his child. ¡°Shut up, Edward. I don''t think you and your daughter are the same person, so don''t address a question that''s meant for her.¡± ¡°Sorry, mother.¡± A mixture of anger and sadness coursed through Catherine as she stared into her grandmother''s eyes. ¡°I have been studying for the projects and jogging down ideas suitable for them. That''s how are got the perfect proposals.¡± Catherine said with moist eyes. ¡°When did you start studying for them?¡± Elijah asked, glowering at his niece with hostility in his eyes. Staring into his wife¡¯s eyes, Rome slightly shook his head and thought, ¡®Don¡¯t answer that. It''s a trap.¡± ¡°When grandpa told us about the projects,¡± Catherine mumbled, picking at her nails. ¡°See! She had a hidden agenda from the very beginning. She was craving what doesn''t belong to her.¡± Charles said, pointing his finger at his cousin. ¡°Who knows if she had ruined our images to the chairmen, so she can get the projects." Chloe said, eyeing her cousin with hate in her eyes. ¡°I did no such thing!¡± ¡°Being defensive! Then why were you studying for projects that weren''t yours?¡± ¡°Yeah, cousin. Those ounts were ours, and it was your n all along to snitch them from us.¡± Speechless from anger, Catherine took a moment to pulled herself together, coldly gazed at Chloe, and said, ¡°I did not snitch anything from any of you! I earned those ounts fairly!¡± "Really. Then why did all four Chairmen refuse to see any of us?¡± Jeff asked, scowling at her. ¡°We worked so hard to get those ounts for days and our efforts were wasted because no one would even talk to us about the ounts. How do you exin that?¡± Staring at the judgment faces of some of her family members, Catherine felt abandoned for a while. Then with everyst bit of hope she had left, she gazed at her grandfather and said, ¡°I earned those ounts honestly, grandpa.¡± But he turned his head away from her with a look of disappointment on his face. ¡°Ruining your cousins¡¯ hard work, how ambiguous can you get!¡± William said, slightly shaking his head. ¡°We get that you want to prove yourself. But do you have to damage the rest of your cousins¡¯ reputation while doing it?¡± Andrew uttered with a hint of anger in his tone. A frown surfaced on Rome¡¯s face as he stared at Catherine''s uncles, then at their wives before focusing on her grandparents. ¡°using my wife without any proof, is this even fair? You all point fingers at her, but what evidence do you all have?¡± Rome asking in annoyance. ¡°Stay out of it,¡± Catherine mumbled, fearing that her family would gang upon him. Staring at Rome, Elijah frowned and said, ¡°Shut up. No one asks for a useless fool import on this matter.¡± With his gazed focus on Catherine''s nervous eyes, Rome sighed and said, ¡°I''m may be poor, but I''m not stupid. Judging someone without any proof is just cruel. My wives got those ounts and this is the ''thank you'' she gets?¡± ¡°How dare you use us of ying favorites among our grandchildren!¡± Madam Rosey shouted, banging her palm on the chair arm. ¡°Mother, please be calm. We don''t want you falling ill because of this ratchet fool.¡± Andrew said, pleadingly staring at Madam Rosey. Not nning to give up just yet, Rome huffed and said, ¡°I think the person we should be focusing on is Charles.¡± In a fit of rage, Charles walked over to Rome, cored him, and said, ¡°What nonsense are you sputtering out now!¡± ¡°You were the one pitching a proposal to the chairman of the MC group, even though the ount was assigned to my wife at the time.¡± ¡°Haha! You must be going mad, telling such lies.¡± ¡°Oh, really? What did the chairman of the MC group say to your father again? Right, he said, ¡®Because she earned it, unlike your son who tried to pitch a boring proposal to me.'' Isn''t that right?¡± When Mr. Bralow¡¯s eyes met Rome¡¯s judging gaze, he frowned and angrily said, ¡°Let him go, Charles. He may be worthless, but he isn''t wrong. How dare you go after the MC group ount when you were assigned to the Skylightpany?¡± ¡°Grandpa, I was just trying to help Catherine. We all know how she''s been messing up in the past.¡± Charles nervously mumbled, letting go of Rome¡¯s coat. ¡°How can my daughter who has been messing up in the past suddenly have the ability to sway four top-notch chairmen''s minds into giving her projects worth billions of dors,¡± Edward uttered, ring at his nephew. The room became quiet for a while. Then Charles gazed at Chloe, Jeff, and Richard, but they stared the other way, maintaining their silences. ¡°So she got those contracts out of shed luck, is that what you are implying?¡± Elijah said, glowering at his brother. ¡°I don''t know. But from what happened at the party tonight, it seems like my daughter was the only one Original content from N?velDrama.Org. who kept the family reputation intact, no thanks to your daughter and William¡¯s son.¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± Out of anger, Madam Rosey scowled at everyone''s faces and shouted, ¡°Everyone shut up and gets out!¡± As they all walked out of the living room, Elijah walked over to Edward and said, ¡°Do you know what happens to people who depend on luck, it runs out, and they are left struggling. Thepany doesn''t need a person who preform because of luck." A frown surface on Catherine''s father''s face, but he said nothing as he pitifully stare at his daughter. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 ¡°Good morning. What are you working on?¡± Rome mumbled as he stared at Catherine, concentrating on herptop. For a moment, she focused on the screen. Then she gazed at him and said, ¡°It took three weeks, but I''m finally finished with my final soft copy for the ns for the ¡®Fine wine¡¯ project, and I just send it to the team members.¡± A smile crept on Rome¡¯s lips as he got out of bed and approached Catherine. Then he squatted in front of her and softly intoned, ¡°You have been working so hard. I''m proud of you, wife.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Catherine whispered, gazing into his eyes. For the past week, she had been doubting herself every step of the way, knowing how many people are expecting her to fail, and Rome knew it, even though he didn''t talk about it with her. As he slowly ran his fingers through her hair, he nodded and said, ¡°Yes. How about you take a day off, and we can go out for dinner? I have saved a lot of money from my part-time job. Allow me to take you out.¡± ¡°I can''t. I have to brief the team on what each person needs to do, and I need to run after the materials we are going to need. Today is a hectic day.¡± With a faint smile on his face, Rome sighed and thought, ¡®I know. That''s why I want to take you somewhere nice to relieve the stress you''ve been undergoing these past weeks.¡¯ When Catherine saw the trace of sadness in Rome¡¯s expression, she let out a soft breath and mumbled, ¡°How about we schedule dinner for ten o''clock today?¡± ¡°Okay. I can follow you to the office, and wait for you to get done with your work. Then we can leave the ¡°Don''t you have your part-time job to go to today?¡± ¡°I can put in an excuse.¡± A look of hesitation crossed her face. Then she beamed at him and said, ¡°Okay.¡± At nine o''clock, Catherine and Rome arrived at thepany. They headed towards the elevator and waited patiently for its door to open. When it did, their gazes rested on Charles, Chloe, Jeff, and Richard. The three cousins stared at them with nothing but hate in their eyes. Then they walked out of the elevator. Paying them no mind, Catherine and Rome walked inside, keeping a calm expression. When the elevator door was about closed, Chloe frowned at her cousin and mumbled, ¡°Good luck because you are going to need it.¡± Then the doors shut. A sense of nervousness swept through Catherine and when Rome gazed at her, he noticed a trace of fear in her eyes. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. You don''t need luck because you got me.'' Rome thought, holding onto her hand. A few minutester, they arrived in the conference room, and everyone was already waiting on them. Without any hesitation, Catherine held Rome''s hand and led him to the head of the table. Then she let go of him and sat down. ¡°Sit,¡± Catherine mumbled, patting the seat beside her. As Rome gazed around the room, he could tell that none of the employees was happy about what Catherine did. But he didn''t care about them because he was so excited that his wife finally acknowledged him. After he had sat down, Catherine softly smiled at him before gazing at the employees. Then she raised her chin, sat up straight, and said, ¡°Thank you all for being here. Please open the soft copy document that I sent to you all this morning.¡± There was a brief pause as she gave them a few minutes to get to ess their devices. After a few more seconds had passed, Catherine gently cleared her throat, and said, ¡°Fine Wine,¡¯ want to open a new Winery in the urban-esque area.¡± The room became so quiet that even a pin drop could get considered as a noise. ¡°Our job is to design a winery that merges a gravitational procedure of winemaking with a structure of architecture that is integrated into thendscape in such a way that it seems to be a natural element,¡± Catherine said, gazing at the faces around the table. The meetingsted for hours, and when it was over, Rome and Catherine headed to her office. After closing the door behind him, he adorably gazed at her. ¡°Did I do good?¡± Catherine mumbled, sitting behind her desk. ¡°Of course. You were super awesome.¡± Rome replied. Both of them shared a sweet smile. Then Rome walked over to the couch. As he was about to sit down, he realized that he feel a bit thirsty. ¡°Excuse me. I need some water.¡± Rome said, staring at Catherine. When she nodded, he took onest nce at her and walked out of the office. A few steps into the corridor, he heard whispersing from one of the rooms. Feeling a bit curious, Rome walked over to the door and leaned his ear closer to it. ¡°You guys know what to do right?¡± Charles'' voice echoed from within the room. ¡°Yes, boss.¡± A male voice flowed into the hallway. ¡°Disaster should be the only result of the ¡®Fine wine¡¯ project.¡± ¡°We understand.¡± Frowning, Rome walked away from the door and walked back into Catherine''s office. ¡°Did you find water?¡± She mumbled, raising her head to meet his eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± Rome mumbled absentmindedly. ¡°You said that you were going out for water.¡± ¡°Yeah, I drank.¡± For half of the day, Rome''s mind remained restless with several thoughts. After a few hours had gone by, it was nine o''clock and Catherine finally put her phone down, then turned herputer off. Afterward, she gazed at Rome and mumbled, ¡°Ready for our date?¡± But a look of concern crossed his face as he stared into her eyes and said, ¡°You look tired. Let''s do it another time.¡± ¡°I want to do it tonight. I''m exhausted from work, and tomorrow, I have to do more work, so it will feel nice to do something other than work, even if it''s just for a few hours.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± By ten o''clock, Rnd and Catherine arrived at a local food truck. Then she stopped the car, gazed out the window, and mumbled, ¡°So this is the ce, umm?¡± ¡°Yes. They sell delicious Tacos.¡± Rome said, chuckling softly. ¡°Yummy.¡± ¡°Can you order for us? I will join you shortly. I need to make a call.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± N?velDrama.Org (C) content. After Catherine got down from the car, Rome watched her walked towards the truck before he took out his phone and dialed Mr. Ondo''s number. The moment he answered the phone, Rome nced at Catherine from the car window and said, ¡°I''m going to send you a listen of names. These are people that are working with my wife on the Fine Wine project. Among them is a few traitors.¡± ¡°Okay, boss. So what''s the n?¡± Mr. Ondo''s voice echoed from the speakers. ¡°Track all of their movement and interaction and find the double-crossers.¡± ¡°Copy that, boss.¡± Once Rome had ended the call, he got out of the car and walked over to Catherine. ¡°What did you order?¡± Rome asked, smiling with his eyes. ¡°Spicy chicken wings,¡± Catherine said, faintly giggling. Admiring the excitement in her eyes, he lowered his head and lightly kissed her on the mouth. For a moment, Catherine stared wide-eyed at him as her heart hammered against her chest. Then she shut her eyelids and im his lips. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 The bathroom door opened and Rome walked into the room. His lips curved into a soft smile as he stared at Catherine''s sleeping face. Then he walked over to the closet, took out his clothes, and got dressed. As he was about to wear his shoes, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. So he grabbed it, sat on the edge of the bed, and answered the call. ¡°Good morning, boss. What is it?¡± Rome asked, eyeing Catherine for a moment. ¡°Good morning, young master. We have been watching the team members for weeks, and we have discovered three traitors, and they are responsible for purchasing the raw material for the winery.¡± Mr. Ondo''s voice flowed into his ear. ¡°Really? Go on.¡± ¡°We discovered that they have been pre-ordering cheaper materials with third-rate quality from the Whitewater Construction store, instead, of the first ss materials your wife requested.¡± ¡°I''m on my way.¡± After ending the call, Rome stared down at Catherine, and her eyelids slowly raised. Then she sleepily stared at him and mumbled, ¡°Where are you going this early?¡± ¡°I got to get to the constitution site. My boss needs me at work.¡± Rome said, gently pushing her hair behind her ear. ¡°Umm¡­ Okay, take care.¡± Catherine mumbled, slowly shutting her eyes.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Smiling faintly, Rome leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. Then he stood from the bed and left the room. ¡°Where are you going so early, loser?¡± Charles asked, when he saw Rome walking from the opposite direction. When Rome didn''t say a word, Charles waited for him toe closer. Then he hit him in the shoulder. But Rome ignored his cousin-inw and walked past him with only one answer on his mind, ¡®I''m heading out to ruin your ns.¡¯ After the uber stopped at the old railway onne street, Rome got out of the car and paid the driver. Then he waited for the vehicle to drive off before he walked over to the Bugatti La Voiture Noire and got in. ¡°Where to, young master?¡± Mr. Ondo said, gazing at Rome through the V-mirror. ¡°We have a meeting with the CEO of the Whitewater Construction store,¡± Rome said, rxing back on the seat. It took a forty minutes drive. Then Mr. Ondo finally drove the car in the parking lot of the Whitewater INC. Afterward, he gazed behind and said, ¡°We are here, young master.¡± For a moment, Rome gazed at the blue skyscraper. Then he picked up the ck cap on the car seat and wore it. After that, he grabbed a dark shade and put it on his face before wearing a knee-length jacket. ¡°Let''s go,¡± Rome said, pushing the car door open. When he and Mr. Ondo had got down from the car, they walked into the building and headed straight for the front desk in the lobby. ¡°Hello, what can I do for you?¡± The receptionist asked with her focus on theputer screen. ¡°Tell Jerome that I''m here to see him.¡± Mr. Ondo said, gazing at her. Swaying her focus away from the keyboard, she lifted her head and met his eyes. Then her expression quickly softened. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± She hastily said, grabbing the telephone. After talking on the phone for a few minutes, she drew it away from her ear, and said, ¡°My boss is expecting you guys. Please proceed to the sixth floor.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Mr. Ondo said, faintly smiling at her. Then he and Rome walked away and headed into the elevator. A few minutester, Mr. Ondo and Rome entered an oval-shaped office. ¡°Mr. Ondo, it''s great to see you again. How may I be of service to Mr. Ford.¡± Jerome said, smiling happily. Ignoring him for a second, Mr. Ondo escorted Rome to a chair and waited for him to sit down before focusing back on Jerome. ¡°My master doesn''t need you, but his son does.¡± Mr. Ondo said with a calm expression. ¡°I have been hearing rumors within the inner circle that Mr. Ford lost son has returned. I can''t believe it''s true.¡± Jerome said, beaming with excitement. Then his gaze swayed towards Rome, and a look of confusion swept across his face. ¡°You can take off the disguise. I have heard that you don''t want people to know who you are. But I swear to keep your identity as a secret.¡± Jerome said with a trace of curiosity in his eyes. ¡°I know the people that I trust with my Identity, and you are not one of them,¡± Rome said in annoyance. ¡°I owe your father a billion dors in debt, so trust me when I tell you that my lips are sealed.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Feeling a bit hesitant, Rome took off the sses, then the cap and Jerome''s face went nk. Then he sluggishly leaned back in his seat and mumbled, ¡°Y-ou a-re¡­. You are!¡± ¡°The Barlow family¡¯s useless son-inw? I know.¡± Rome sarcastically said. ¡°But no one knows how rich your father is or the limits to his power. He got this entire country in the palm of his hands! H-ow could you¡­ How could you be worthless!¡± ¡°Well, that''s a story I don''t have time to tell. Not a single word about who I am should escape from this room or my father might end up collecting his debt sooner than you expected.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± After pausing for a moment, Jerome nced at Mr. Ondo, then stared at Rome, and asked, ¡°So what do you need me for?¡± ¡°The material my wife''s employees are purchasing from your store isn''t the quality she requested,¡± Rome said with a hint of anger in his tone. ¡°Someone is trying to sabotage Mrs. Ford?¡± ¡°Yes. What I need from you is to rece their purchases with your most expensive quality of materials without letting them know. I will pay whatever amount is needed.¡± ¡°So what I''m hearing is that you need my workers to give them first-ss materials even though they are purchasing third-ss, and they shouldn''t be in the know about it.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°Okay. I understand, and consider it done. Just send me the details about the purchasers, and I will alert my workers on your orders.¡± A few minutester, Mr. Ondo and Rome were back in the car, and he took out the cap, then the shade. ¡°What now, young master?¡± Mr. Ondo asked, staring at the V-mirror. ¡°We watch and wait for Charles¡¯ next move,¡± Rome said, smiling slyly. ¡°Where to next?¡± ¡°Take me to my father. It''s been a while since I shared breakfast with him.¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32 The moment the elevator hit the top floor and its door opened, Rome walked into the corridor along with Mr. Ondo and K. Then he faced his father and said, ¡°You know what to do, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. But can you handle this end?¡± Mr. Ford asked with worry in his expression. ¡°Father, I¡­¡± ¡°Rome, inside that conference hall, are the top beasts in the business industry, and if you can''t tame them, you wouldn''t earn their submission.¡± ¡°Have a little faith in me. I''m your son after all.¡± As his expression rxed, Mr. Ford rested his palm on Rome¡¯s cheek, patted it, and said, ¡°You have my full trust, son. I''m proud of you.¡± Afterward, he drew his hand to his side and the bodyguard pressed button one. Then the elevator door closed. ¡°Let''s go,¡± Rome mumbled, ncing at Mr. Ondo. The conference room was quiet as everyone anxiously waited, expecting Mr. Ford to walk into the room at any minute. But when the doors opened and Rome stepped inside, it grew awfully silent with everyone staring in disbelief as he marched to the front of the room, and then stopped before facing them. ¡°Good day. I''m Rome Ford, the new head over the 2.5 billion dors resort project.¡± Rome said, keeping a straight face. Shock took over the guest''s faces as they focused their eyes solely on him without uttering a word. Then after a few minutes had gone by quietly, amotion arose with everyone throwing their thoughts in the open and speaking out whatever came to mind. Some of their statements were offensive, apuding, and stupid. But with all of them speaking at once, Rome barely had the chance to utter a word. Even when he did try to say something, his words would get overshadowed by the noise in the room. ¡°Mr. Ondo, shut these people up,¡± Rome mumbled, rubbing his forehead. Nodding slightly, Mr. Ondo approached the mic, tapped on it, and instantly the room fell silent. Then he frowned at the sudden change in their behavior and said, ¡°My young master has something to say.¡± No one uttered a word as Mr. Ondo stepped aside and allowed Rome to take over the mic. Maintaining eye contact with the people staring attentively at him, Rome hardened his face and said, ¡°My father must have overestimated you all a lot.¡± Faint sounds of some of the guests clearing their throats echoed in the hall. ¡°Top business tycoons? All I see are grown men and women behaving like kindergartens.¡± Rome boldly said, darkening his expression. At this point, every noise in the room suddenly ceased, and the faces of the guests had grown a bit serious. ¡°I don''t see myself wasting 2.5 billion dors on people who can''t show me the tiniest bit of respect,¡± Rome said, screwing up his face into a frown. Then he held back his words for a few minutes, listening to the silence with a sense of satisfaction, and after seeing the look of submissions in their eyes, Rome sighed and said, ¡°This meeting is adjourned.¡± None of the guests reacted for a moment, but when they saw Rome heading for the door, a noise aroused, filled with their pleading cries. Within a split second, they were chasing after him into the corridor while calling out his name. The sound of their desperate voices felt like music of victory in Rome''s ears as he casually marched down the hallway, being shield by numerous guards. When he reached the elevator, he stared at the group being shoved back by the bodyguards. Then he stepped into the elevator with Mr. Ondo and K by his side. Afterward, he took out his phone from his pocket and dialed his father''s number. For a moment, Mr. Ford stared at the DreamTeam building. Then he answered the call, and asked, ¡°How''s the meeting?¡± ¡°It''s over,¡± Rome mumbled, cing his right hand into his pocket. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I''m taming the beasts. They have to know that they need me, and it''s not the other way around.¡± Smiling to himself, Mr. Ford pushed the car door open and said, ¡°Well, I couldn''t be more proud to call you my son.¡± ¡°Have you arrived?¡± ¡°I''m here.¡± When the elevator hit the first floor and Rome stepped out, he was immediately surrounded by a few groups of businessmen and women. ¡°Father, I will call you back,¡± Rome mumbled before ending the call. The moment he drew the phone away from his ears, the lobby grew noisy with all of them trying to speak at once. ¡°Silence,¡± Romemanded with a frown. It took a second for the noise to die down and for them to give him their undivided attention. ¡°Good! Now raise your hand one at a time, and I have to recognize you before you speak. Is that clear?¡± Rome calmly said, meeting their faces. As they all nodded silently, ady raised her hand and Rome fixed his gaze on her and said, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°I''m Adama Mach, CEO of RightWay Inc. Firstly, I would like to apologize for our actions. We were all shocked, knowing the status that you hold in the Barlow family.¡± Adama boldly said. Then she eyed the other shaking their heads slightly in agreement with her statement before saying, ¡°But we clearly see you now for who you are. The only heir to Mr. Ford, and we humble ourselves in your presence.¡± Seeing nothing but respect in their expression, Rome faintly smiled and said, ¡°This meeting may be over, but I can make time for another. Mr. Ondo will inform you guys of the date.¡± Then he walked past them, stopped in his tracks, turned around, and said, ¡°I hope you all can be on your best behavior the next time.¡± Afterward, he walked away as they all stared in disbelief at him. When Ford arrived into the building of DreamTeam along with his bodyguards, and everyone saw him, it grew silent on the first floor. But he paid no mind to all the attention he was getting and continued walking with only one thought on Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. his mind, and that is to follow Rome''s n to the letter. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Without even realizing it, the morning had be noon, and Rome was still stuck on trimming the brushes to perfection. The afternoon sun was hot, and his body was drained with his sweat. But he kept going, and every now and then he would gaze at Catherine, standing a few steps away from him with a water bottle and towel in her hand. ¡°I can''t believe she is actually in that zing heat with him.¡± Richard said, taking a sip of his tropical juice. Gazing away from the umbre covering her, Chloe pulled down her shade off her face, stared at the pool before ring at Rome and Catherine a few distances away from the pool yard. Then she rolled her eyes and said, ¡°That right there is the definition of ¡®stupidity.¡¯ It''s not a surprise though. She took it from her weak father.¡± ¡°True! Edward is aways at the heel of our fathers because he''s such a goodie-two-shoes.¡± Charles said, rubbing sun cream on his arm. For a moment, none of them spoke. Then Charles set the bottle on the table and asked, ¡°Where''s Jeff?¡± ¡°Working after a project that doesn''t belong to him.¡± Chloe mumbled, wearing her shade as sheid back on the chair. Hearing the coldness in her voice, Richard let out a nervousugh and mumbled, ¡°I''m not excusing his behavior, but I know my brother, and he didn''t rat you out to Hanson.¡± ¡°As his younger brother, you are always kissing up to him. Doesn''t that get tiring?¡± Chloe mumbled, shutting her eyelids. ¡°I wouldn''t be talking on his behalf if I did believe that he was the one who did it. But Jeff doesn''t leave bread crumbs that lead back to him when he does something.¡± ¡°So, let me get this straight, you want me to believe that Mr. Richmond got the information about my suspension out of the wind, and magically decided to give it to your brother?¡± ¡°Well, when you put it that way, it does sound fishy.¡± ¡°Good, I''m d you finally cure your stupidity and see the truth that no one else has the motive to do this except your brother.¡± It grew silent for a while. Then Richard scratched the back of his head and nervously mumbled, ¡°What do you intend to do to him?¡± ¡°What I n for your brother doesn''t concern you. But you can try to warn him to step back, or else, no one should me my ruthlessness.¡± Chloe mumbled with not a hint of remorse in her tone. Swaying his gaze from her, Richard stared at Charles and said, ¡°Come on, guys. We are all blood. Can''t we just let this one slide.¡± ¡°Don''t get me involved in this. I''m only here to see the oue of this fight and not get myself entangle in a battle that doesn''t concern me.¡± Charles mumbled, rxing on his seat as he crossed his one leg over the other. With a hint of fear in his eyes, Richard rested his back on the pillow and thought, ¡®Well, you are on your own bro. I hope you have a defense mechanism in ce for Chloe¡¯s attacks.¡¯ After a while, Rome finally trimmed thest leaf of the brushes. Then he smiled at Catherine and cheerfully said, ¡°Done.¡± Keeping his eyes on hers, he walked towards Catherine, and then stopped a foot away from her, breathing heavily. ¡°You did well.¡± Catherine whispered, drying his face with the towel. ¡°Did I?¡± ¡°Of course. Not even Tony could do what you just did.¡± In a split second, Rome pulled her into his arms and mumbled, ¡°My wife is so sweet.¡± ¡°And sweaty. Let me go.¡± Catherine cried, trying to break free from him. ¡°So am I. Should we wash up together?¡± ¡°Uh?¡± With her ears red, she pushed Rome off her, put his phone into his hand, and said, ¡°Go wash up by yourself.¡± When he stared at his phone screen, the words in his head got stuck in his throat as fear beams in his eyes. ¡°One-fifty? That old man is going to kill me.¡± Rome mumbled beneath his breath. ¡°What?¡± Catherine mumbled. Without replying to her, Rome rushed into the house, heading straight for their room. When he arrived inside, he hurried into the bathroom, came out a few minutester, and got dressed. Then he picked his phone off the bed and his jaw dropped as he stared wide-eyed at the number, ¡°two- fifteen¡± on his screen. ¡°I''m dead.¡± Rome mumbled, strolling through his call log. Then he called Mr. Ford''s number and rested the phone against his ear as he rushed out of the room. ¡°Come on. Pick up.¡± Rome mumbled, walking quickly down the hallway. ¡°Who should pick up?¡± Catherine asked as she stood in his way. After canceling the call. He ced his phone into his trouser pocket, gazed at her, and mumbled, ¡°My dad.¡± ¡°You are going to meet with him?¡± Catherine asked with excitement in her eyes. ¡°Yes. I have to go now.¡± Feeling a bit nervous, Rome took in a breath and thought, ¡®Or he''sing here.¡¯ ¡°Can I tag along?¡± Catherine mumbled. ¡°I''m sorry. He''s expecting me now, and well, you''reing with me¡­¡± ¡°Will make youte. I understand. Just extend my greetings to him, please.¡± Even though she tried to hide her disappointment, Rome could hear it in her voice, and without a second thought, pressed his lips against hers and kissed her. ¡°See youter, wife.¡± Rome mumbled, gazing at her shock expression. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Umm¡­ okay. Bye.¡± Catherine mumbled with a red cheek and a soft smile. Then she slowly stepped aside and allowed Rome to walk past her. After Rome arrived outside the fence a few minutester, he started walking down the road with his phone pressed against his ear. Finally, when a few more seconds had gone by, his call got answered, and Rome was about to ask for the uber driver to pick him up, but then he paused as he watched a ck car, driving towards him. ¡°Dad?¡± Rome mumbled when the vehicle came closer. ¡°Sorry, I''m not your father. I''m just a twenty-five years old cab driver. But I hope you find your father.¡± The uber driver''s nervous voice echoed from the speakers. Before Rome could rify things with him, the call got canceled, and he pulled the phone from his ear. ¡°Honk!!¡± ¡°Honk!!¡± ¡°I''ming!¡± Rome angrily mumbled, hurrying towards the vehicle. Then he got into the backseat and mmed the door shut. ¡°What do you think you are doing!¡± Rome mumbled, ring at his father. ¡°Keeping a promise, unlike someone who doesn''t know how to do that.¡± Mr. Ford said, scowling at his son. ¡°I was busy.¡± ¡°Yeah, busy being the gardener to the Barlow¡¯s family. Is that what my heir has be? A mere gardener!¡± ¡°Dad, please...¡± ¡°What! Do you want me to sit back and allow them to continue humiliating you! You are ¡®Rome Ford,¡± my only child.¡± Frowning at his father, Rome clenched his fist and said, ¡°I know who I am.¡± ¡°Do you!¡± Mr. Ford asked, sounding disappointed. ¡°Yes! Can you let this be.¡± ¡°Forgive me if I''m not leaping for joy about you being looked down upon by people who should be beneath you!¡± ¡°Dad, I hold all the cards in my hands, and no one, I mean, no one is above me in that house, so can you let me handle this my way.¡± Chapter 41 Chapter 41 For almost fifteen minutes, Rome and his father didn''t utter a word to each other. ¡°You seem disturbed.¡± Mr. Ondo finally said without staring at his son. ¡°I got a lot on my mind,¡± Rome mumbled, keeping his eyes focus on the windshield. ¡°Burden me with some, and don''t keep it all inside. I''m your father, and there''s nothing I wouldn''t do for you.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, there''s something I need you to do for me.¡± Feeling his anger subsiding, Mr. Ford gazed at his son and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I need to keep tabs on Chloe,¡± Rome said, swaying his gaze towards his father. ¡°Isn''t Mr. Ondo already doing that?¡± ¡°Yes, but he is limited unlike you. There''s no happening in this country that you don''t know about. That''s why I need you to do this for me.¡± ¡°You can do it yourself.¡± ¡°What do you mean.¡± For a second, Mr. Ford looked hesitant. Then he sighed and said, ¡°It''s time to introduce you to the other side of my life.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rome absentmindedly asked. ¡°You know that your old man is in a gang. But do you know how powerful it is?¡± ¡°Well, no.¡± ¡°Then let''s find out?¡± Even though he was confused, Rome asked no questions when he heard Mr. Ford said to the driver, ¡°Take us to ¡®Bluemoon Casino.¡± After an hour''s drive, the car came to a stop in front of a blue skyscraper a couple of miles away from the city. Within a matter of seconds, a group of men, wearing ck suits came rushing out of the building and position themselves into two straight lines. Then one of them pulled the car door opened and Mr. Ford stepped out, followed by Rome. ¡°Wee big boss.¡± The men in ck said in unison as they bowed. With a look of satisfaction in his eyes, Mr. Ford smiled. Then he marched into the building, and Rome kept his steps closely behind his father. Afterward walking a few distances into the corridor, they entered a room, and instantly, the ce fell silent. ¡°Scar, ze, Brook, followed me!¡± Mr. Ford coldly said with an aloof expression. Immediately, three men dropped their cards on the table and stood to their feet. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Then they followed Mr. Ford as he headed upstairs with Rome by his side. When Mr. Ford and Rome entered a room, they went in after him and shut the door behind them. ¡°Scar, ze, Brook, meet my son, ¡®Rome.¡± Mr. Ford said as he sat down on the couch. ¡°Big boss, you found him?¡± Brook asked, sounding shocked. ¡°We found each other.¡± ¡°I''m sorry that we couldn''t find him all those years, big boss. But I am d that you from him.¡± Although Rome didn''t understand a thing they were saying, he kept his questions to himself and sat down. Then he raised brows as the three men turned to him, bowed, and said in unison, ¡°Wee back, boss.¡± Without saying a word to them, Rome gazed at his father and threw him a what''s-going-on look. ¡°Meet my eyes and ears in the underground world. The nothing illegal that''s goes on in the darkness that they don''t know about.¡± Mr. Ford said as he stood from the couch. Then he headed over to the bar, took a bottle of whisker and popped it opened. ¡°A life of great wealth gives you a lifetime of dangerous enemies, and you always have to be one step ahead of them. I learned that the hard way when your mother died.¡± Mr. Ford said, taking two sses of the shelf. After filling them halfway, he walked over to Rome and give him a ss. Then he took a sip of his drink and said, ¡°Power is a great, but deadly thing. It can make a man lose his sanity within a sh, and the Barlow family is filled with power greed people.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Rome said, staring into his wine ss. ¡°No, you don''t. A monster is made from the thirst for power, Rome, so you have to be extremely careful how you handle the members of that family.¡± ¡°I promise that I would.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Raising his ss, Mr. Ford smiled at Rome before drinking till the ss was empty. Then he gazed at Brook and said, ¡°Keep an eye out for Chloe Barlow and report back to my son her every move. Nothing she does should get past him.¡± ¡°Yes, big boss.¡± Brook humbly intoned. With his gaze focus on Brook, Scar, and ze, Mr. Ford firmly uttered, ¡°From today onwards, let your men know that they don''t only answer me, but my son and hismand carry the same weight as mine.¡± ¡°Yes, big boss!¡± The three of them said one after the other. A few hours after spending his time at the casino with his father, Rome arrived at the Barlow mansion at nine o''clock. When he entered the dining room, everyone''s eyes got drawn to him. Then Chloe smirked and said, ¡°Did you leave to avoid doing other choruses? You barely do a thing for this family, but the moment you did a simple task, you vanished for a half-day.¡± ¡°Ipleted what needed to get done before I left,¡± Rome said, striving to sound calm as possible. With a mischievous look in her eyes, Chloe sneered and asked, ¡°Who said that''s was the only work you had to do?¡± ¡°Well, that was the only work grandmother asked him to do. I think, if she needed him to do more than that, she was going to say it, right, grandma?¡± Catherine softly said with a humble tone. Even though Madam Rosey wasn''t happy about being put on the spot by her granddaughter, she scowled and said, ¡°I wouldn''t indulge myself in a discussion about a worthless person. I''m going to bed.¡± Afterward, she left the table and walked past Rome without looking his way. Then Mr. Barlow silently stood to his feet and followed after her. As Catherine was about to leave the table, Edward got up from his seat, red at her, and said, ¡°Follow me.¡± For a second, Catherine stared at the look of sadness on her mother''s face. Then she woke for the chair and walked after her father as he led her out of the dining room. It felt ufortable being in the midst of people who kept staring at him hatefully, so Rome left, heading in the direction that Catherine and her father went. When he was about to walk past the study, he heard Edward shouted, and Rome stopped, took three steps towards the door, and listened. Unable to bear the anger in her father''s eyes, Catherine hunged her head low and focused her gaze on her toes. ¡°You love him? You much be kidding me, Catherine! You can''t fall for a nobody, especially since your grandmother seems to despise him.¡± Edward said, striving to get his anger under control. ¡°But I''m only answering your question sincerely. That''s how I feel about Rome.¡± Catherine mumbled. ¡°A man like Rome will not make win you favor with your grandparents, and he can''t help you be the top inheritor of this family. Can''t you see that?¡± ¡°But he''s a good man with a kind heart. Isn''t that what you saw in my mother.¡± Resting his hands on hips, Edward sighed heavily and said, ¡°And I''m still suffering the coincidences of marrying a woman from a humble background unlike what your grandmother wanted for me.¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Catherine cried, feeling tears rolled down her cheek. As he grabbed onto his daughter¡¯s hands, Edward pleadingly stared at her and said, ¡°Don''t be like your father, um¡­ Please, nothing good is going toe out of you being like me.¡± Frowning, Rome turned away from the door and mumbled, ¡°Not if I have a saying in it.¡± Chapter 42 Chapter 42 The sound of his ringtone forced Rome to raise his eyelids, and his gaze rested on Catherine, sleeping peacefully on his arm. Then he slowly pulled his hand from under her, picked his phone from the nightstand, and got out of bed. Afterward, he left the room, stood by the door, and answered the call. ¡°Boss.¡± Brook¡¯s voice echoed into his ear. ¡°Speak,¡± Rome said, leaning against the wall. ¡°It has happened.¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I will meet you guys at the casino.¡± After ending the call, Rome was about to go back into the room when he saw Jeff, hurrying down the hallway with his phone pressed against his ear. ¡°What? Faulty wiring! I''m on my way.¡± Jeff said as he marched past Rome without looking his way. Taking in a deep breath, Rome pushed the door open and headed inside. By seven, he and Catherine came downstairs and met everyone seated in the living room. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Catherine mumbled, noticing the distress on everyone''s faces. No one spoke for a while. Then she met her father''s gaze, and he said, ¡°Warehouse 2091 is on fire.¡± ¡°What? How?¡± ¡°Well, the warehouse had a power outage yesterday. The electricians did some work on the wires by noon. But this morning, the warehouse is in mes.¡± For a moment, Catherine said nothing, then her gaze swayed towards Chloe, and she felt her heart miss a beat. ¡°Can you all just say out loud what you guys are already thinking!¡± Chloe abruptly said, ring at the faces in the room. With his icy gaze fixed on her, Anthony frowned and coldly asked, ¡°Are you the one behind this?¡± ¡°Why will my daughter do such a thing!¡± Elijah shouted, scowling at his brother. ¡°To sabotage my son''s hard work! That warehouse was filled with construction materials for Mr. Richmond¡¯s project.¡± ¡°But that warehouse also belongs to us, ¡®Barlows¡¯, and is worth two million dors! Why would my daughter hurt this family just to get at your son!¡± ¡°Because she is spiteful just like her father!¡± ¡°Spiteful!¡± In a fit of rage, Mr. Barlow red at Elijah and coldly intoned, ¡°Chloe is not two, is she?¡± ¡°But father, Anthony is spilling nonsense about my child,¡± Elijah said with a hint of nervousness in his eyes. ¡°I don''t expect such a ridiculous attitude from you, Eli! Let Chloe speak on her behalf!¡± ¡°Sorry, father.¡± Watching everyone''s gaze swayed towards her, Chloe pulled her brow together in a frown and said, ¡°I''m not behind the fire.¡± ¡°Like you are fooling anyone by saying that.¡± Richard mockingly said. ¡°I swear. This isn''t my doing!¡± ¡°You seem so set on getting revenge on my brother. You even told me three weeks ago to warn him to back down or you will strike.¡± When Chloe looked her grandmother away, tears began rolling from the corners of her eyes as she pitifully said, ¡°Grandmother, I''m innocent. The warehouse fire is not my doing.¡± For a moment, Madam Rosey kept her silence. But as she watched the tears fall from her granddaughter¡¯s chin, her heart softened. ¡°Chloe wouldn''t be this reckless to do something this damaging to the family.¡± Madam Rosey said, gazing at her husband. ¡°Well, it might be the cause of faulty wiring after all.¡± Mr. Barlow half-heartedly mumbled, knowing not to go against his wife before the family. Even though the others maintained their silence, no one believed that the warehouse getting burned down was a coincidence. But since Madam Rosey and Mr. Barlow had deemed it as such, they all kept their thoughts to themselves. ¡°Ma¡¯am, sir, breakfast has been served.¡± Susanna, their head maid said when she entered the living room. Staring at Catherine¡¯s worried expression, Rome took her hand in his and mumbled, ¡°What''s on your mind?¡± As she gazed at him, she faintly smiled and said, ¡°I''m not sure. My thoughts are all fussy.¡± ¡°You should eat something.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± A few minutester, they were are in the dining room, and the Barlow family took their seats at the table. Breakfast went on peacefully, even though there was tension in the room. After a few minutes had gone by quietly, the sound of footsteps approaching the dining hall echoed into the room, and everyone''s attention got drawn to the entrance. A few secondster, a group of officers, led by Jeff entered the dining room, and the ce fell silent for a moment. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Mr. Barlow said, standing from his seat. ¡°We are sorry for bashing in, but your grandson has filed a case with our station.¡± One of the officers said. Leaving the table, Mr. Barlow approached the policemen and then scowled at his grandson as he walked past him. ¡°We presently have a suspect in custody from the Darklight gang that imed that your granddaughter paid them to touch the warehouse to ashes, and we have a warrant for her arrest.¡± An officer said, taking out a paper from his pocket. The fork in Chloe''s hand dropped onto her te as she stared at the officers, then at her father before gazing at her grandfather. Suddenly, an officer approached her, took out a handcuff, and reached for her wrists. But she pulled away and shouted, ¡°Get your filthy hands off me. I didn''t do this!¡± ¡°Miss Chloe, you are under arrest, and anything you say will be used against you in the court ofw. Please corporate with thew.¡± The officer said, gently grabbing her hands before snapping the cuffs on them. ¡°But...But¡­¡± ¡°Let''s go, Miss Chloe. You can exin yourself at the station.¡± With her head hung, Chloe stood to her feet. Then she obediently walked along with the officers. When they reached Mr. Barlow, Chloe lifted her head, gazed into his cold eyes, and said, ¡°Grandfather, I¡­¡± ¡°Don''t lie to me.¡± Mr. Barlow said with a look of disappointment on his face. ¡°I did hire the Darklight gang to touch the warehouse, but it was already on fire when they got there. I swear that I didn''t do this.¡± ¡°You brat!¡± Without holding back his anger, Mr. Barlow raised his hand and smacked Chloe hard on her cheek. Her teary eyes widened as she gazed at the rage in grandfather¡¯s expression. Then she stared down at the tile. ¡°Franco!¡± Madam Rosey cried, ring at her husband. ¡°Take her away. No one is allowed to bill her out until tomorrow.¡± Mr. Barlow said as he turned away from Chloe. ¡°But father!¡± Elijah said, hastily standing to his feet. Fixing his angry eyes on everyone, Mr. Barlow scowled and said, ¡°This is my final decision on this matter.¡± A frown crossed Rome¡¯s face as he watched Chloe getting escorted out of the dining room by the police. Then he stared at Charles, then at Richard, before focusing on Jeff, and his frown deepened to a scowl. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 When the BMW door opened, Mr. Ondo gazed back at Rome, entering the car. Then he waited for him to shut the door before saying, ¡°Good morning, young master.¡± ¡°Morning,¡± Rome absentmindedly mumbled with his head crowned with thoughts. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°To the casino.¡± Nodding slightly, Mr. Ondo focused on the road, start the car engine, and drove off. After an hour''s drive, he brought the car to a stop in front of the skyscraper, and Rome got out followed by K. Then both men marched into the building, heading for the main hall. Once they entered the room, the music stopped, the gambling ceased, and everyone¡¯s gazes center on Rome. Suddenly, they all stood to their feet, bowed slightly, and shouted in unison, ¡°Morning, boss!¡± ¡°Brook, ze, Scar, meet me upstairs,¡± Rome said, shoving his hands into his pockets. Then he walked away with K two steps behind him, and Brook, ze, Scar, following after him. When they all arrived in the private room, Scar shut the door behind him. Then he stood humbly along with Brook and ze, and they waited patiently for Rome to say something. With his gaze fixed on theirs, Rome leaned back on the couch, crossed his leg over the other, and coldly uttered, ¡°There was a filial y yesterday.¡± ¡°Yes, boss. The Darklight Gang didn''t carry through with Chloe''s order since the warehouse was already on fire when they got there.¡± ze said, eyeing Brook. ¡°Sorry, boss, for thete update. We got the information this morning.¡± Scar mumbled, gazing at his shoes. With a calm expression, Rome smirked and said, ¡°Well, this still falls right in line with my ns. What I need to know now is, ¡®why did a member of the Darklight gang lie.¡± ¡°We n to visit their headquarters and get the answers.¡± Brook hastily intoned. Standing to his feet, Rome stared at their faces one after the other and said, ¡°Let''s go.¡± A few minutester, two ck SUVs arrived in the yard of an abandoned warehouse, and the five men standing guard at the door tightened their grip around the iron pumps in their hands. ¡°Let me handle this. Darklight is involved with my wife''s cousin, and if you guys intervene, it will raise suspicion since you all work for my father.¡± Rome said on the phone. ¡°But, boss,¡± Brook mumbled, sounding nervous as he stared at Scar and ze. ¡°I can take care of myself.¡± ¡°I know¡­ but¡­¡± With his gaze focus on the phone screen, ze hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Big boss isn''t going to be happy if you get wounded.¡± ¡°Then I won''t,¡± Rome said as he noticed K eyeing from the V-mirror. ¡°Okay, boss. We trust that you are capable of handling this.¡± ¡°Good. Stay in the car and don''t get out no matter what.¡± After ending the call, Scar stared at the tinted ss. Then he gazed at Brook and said, ¡°Should we watch him from the cam monitor.¡± ¡°Of course. Turn it on.¡± ze hastily said. Frowning, Rome stepped down from the car, wearing a ck coat with a dark shade on his face, a ck cap, and a mask. ¡°I don''t care who you are, but take another step closer, and you will get hurt.¡± One of the men said with a creepy smile on his lips. With not a care to spare, Rome matched for the warehouse door, and in a fit of rage, a guy rushed to him, raising the iron pump. But when he swung it, Rome grabbed his wrist, slightly smirked, and viciously stepped him into his stomach, sending him back five steps before he hit the ground. ¡°I''m here to see your boss and not to fight you guys. But if you force my hands, I will hurt you. Is that clear?¡± Rome calmly said, yet his tone bore aggression. As they watched the men hit the irons in their palms while surrounding their boss, Brook was about to push the car door open. But he froze when he watched Rome¡¯s foot mmed against a guy¡¯s cheek as he tried to strike him with a pump. ¡°I simply want to talk,¡± Rome said, sniffing as he rubbed his nose. ¡°Nonsense, you enter our territory and attack us! Are you counting death!¡± One of the men screamed with mad eyes. ¡°Technically, you guys attack me.¡± ¡°Haha! He got jokes! Let''s see if you will find this funny after I, scorpion, make you lose a tooth or all of them.¡± Letting out a sigh, Rome slightly drew his left foot behind, bnced himself, and said, ¡°Let''s dance.¡± While gazing at the monitor, Brook¡¯s jaw hung loose, Scar¡¯s eyes widened, and ze stared nkly at the screen as they watched Rome beat up all five men without getting hit once. Spitting his teeth on the ground, Scorpion stared at all four of them,ying in the bloody dirty before gazing at Rome with fear in his eyes. ¡°Who are you?¡± Scorpion cried out. ¡°I''m just a man who wants to have a word with your boss. So, are you going to take me to him, or do we need to do this entire dance over?¡± Rome causally intoned. The warehouse door flew open, and Scorpion rushed inside with Rome walking behind him. Trembling in fear, he led Rome to a room in the back and pushed the door opened. Then he entered and Rome stepped in after him. ¡°Boss, this guy wants to speak with you,¡± Scorpion mumbled, avoiding the cold eyes of the man seated behind the desk. ¡°What happened to your face, and why are you missing four teeth?¡± His boss asked with his gaze focused on Rome. ¡°There was a fight.¡± ¡°He did this to you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In a rush, the leader of the Darklight gang pulled out a gun from his side, pointed it at Rome, and said, ¡°You woke up and chose to die today!¡± With calmness in his eyes, Rome walked over to the desk, took a seat in the spare chair, and said, ¡°Put aside the weapon. I''m here to buy information.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. After a brief moment of hesitation, the leader of the Darklight gang rested the gun on the desk and asked, ¡°How much are you willing to pay? Information doesn''te cheap.¡± ¡°Name your price?¡± ¡°A million bucks.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± The room fell silent as Scorpion and his boss doubtfully gazed at Rome. Then his boss cleared his throat and asked, ¡°What kind of information do you need?¡± ¡°Who paid you to double-cross Chloe Barlow?¡± Rome asked, gazing directly into his eyes. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 For a moment, the leader of the Darklight gang maintained his silence as he tapped his fingers on the desk and coldly stared at Rome. Then he sat up straight and said, ¡°1.5 million.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Rome said with less patience in his tone. ¡°Paper before info.¡± ¡°I will wire the money to you, but if the information you give me isn''t solid, you will pay me back with more than just cash.¡± ¡°Is that a threat!¡± ¡°See it as such because it is! Now give me an ount number.¡± For a moment, there was a flicker of fear in the leader of the Darklight gang¡¯s eyes. Then he pulled himself together and called out the ount number. It took a few minutes, then his phone buzzed on the desk, and he picked it up, staring at the screen in disbelief. ¡°1.5 million. Sender, ¡®anonymous.¡± He read out loud before gazing at Rome and asking, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Where''s my information?¡± Rome coldly intoned, striving to hold on to thest shred of patience he had left. ¡°Right. Umm¡­ Well, we didn''t double-cross her.¡± ¡°I don''t take kindly to being made a fool of.¡± Hearing the seriousness in Rome''s tone, the leader of the Darklight gang eyed his gun and said, ¡°We didn''t do it, but one of us did. That bastard lied on us, forcing the gang to split up and go into hiding because of the authorities.¡± ¡°Do you at least know who hired him?¡± Rome asked, feeling his frustration growing. ¡°No. But, I know he did it to pay his son''s hospital bill.¡± ¡°So, whoever paid his son''s medical fees is responsible for setting Chloe up?¡± ¡°Haha! You just hit the nail right on the head!¡± Struggling against his anger, Rome picked up a sheet and pen off the desk. Then he rested it in front of the leader of the Darklight gang and said, ¡°Write down every information about him and his son.¡± For a moment, the leader of the Darklight gang did nothing as he nkly stared at the sheet. Then he exhaled, picked up the pen, and started writing. After he got done andid the pen down, Rome took it off the desk, stood to his feet, and said, ¡°For your sake, I hope this gives me the information that I need.¡± Then he walked out of the room, mming the door behind him. ¡°Who''s that rich jerk!¡± the leader of the Darklight gang shouted. ¡°I don''t know. But whoever he is, he''s not simple.¡± Scorpion mumbled, feeling a shrive run down his spine. When Rome came out of the warehouse, he stepped past the four wounded men, stillying on the ground, and walked to the SUV. Then he got into the front seat and gazed back at Brook, Scar, and ze staring wide-eyed at him. ¡°I''m just going to say it, ¡®Our boss is awesome!¡± Scar shouted, beaming at Rome. But when he saw Brook eyeing him, he coughed and put on a serious expression. ¡°Get someone to find out who recently made a payment on the medical bill of Leo Dash at Redemption hospital,¡± Rome said, handing the paper over to ze. ¡°Yes, boss. I will get my tech guys working on it right now.¡± ze said with his gaze focused on the sheet. After faintly smiling at them, Rome pushed the car door open and got down. Then he walked over to the other vehicle and got into the backseat. ¡°Where to next, young master.¡± Mr. Ondo asked, staring in the V-mirror. ¡°Call Hanson. Tell him to meet me at the clubhouse.¡± Rome said as he took off his cap. A few hourster, the SUV made a stop in the parking lot of ¡°White Clubhouse,¡± and Rome got out of the car along with Mr. Ondo and K. Then the three of them walked inside. The ce looked deserted since Mr. Ondo booked the entire area for the meet-up. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Mr. Richmond was seated at thest table in the right corner of the room. When he and Rome¡¯s gaze met, he stood to his feet, and he didn''t sit down until Rome reached the table and took a seat. ¡°Is this meeting about the warehouse fire?¡± Hanson nervously uttered. ¡°Yes and no,¡± Rome said, taking off his shade. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I need you to withdraw the project from Jeff.¡± ¡°Uh?¡± Fixing his gaze on Hanson¡¯s confused expression, Rome frowned and said, ¡°Cancel the contract with Jeff.¡± ¡°But¡­ b-ut¡­ The only reason I haven''t made noise about the warehouse fire is that you rmended Jeff to me and I thought he had your favor.¡± Hanson mumbled, lowering his brows. ¡°I favor no one in that household, but my wife.¡± ¡°So you want me to give the project to Miss Catherine?¡± ¡°No, I need you to give it to DBA INC.¡± ¡°Uh! W-ell¡­ But¡­ Um, you want me to give the project to DreamTeam rivalpany?¡± As Rome watched Hanson stare at him with a mixture of confusion and anxiety in his expression, Rome leaned back in his seat and said, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I don''t understand,¡± Hanson mumbled out loud. ¡°You don''t have to. You just need to cancel the contract, get yourpensation, and hand the project over to DBA INC. Is that clear?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°Good,¡± After wearing his shade, Rome stood from the chair, and walked away, leaving Mr. Richmond staring behind him in fear. When they got to the car, ze rushed over to Rome and said, ¡°Boss, Wreck wants to speak with you. He found out the identity of the Barlow behind the payment.¡± Taking the phone from ze, Rome rested it against his ear and listened. Then after a few minutes into the call, he calmly intoned, ¡°Thanks for the information.¡± Afterward, he ended the call, he smirked, and said, ¡°I guess another Barlow is about to visit a cell.¡± ¡°Does this mean Chloe is getting out?¡± Mr. Ondo asked, feeling a bit lost. ¡°Well, Mr. Barlow said that no one is allowed to bill her out until tomorrow. Who am I to go against the old man''s wish? We just have to wait for tomorrow.¡± ¡°That''s true. So where are we heading next?¡± ¡°Take me to my wife. I miss her already.¡± Chapter 45 Chapter 45 After saying their goodbyes to Mr. Miller, Rome and Catherine got into her car, and Rome drove off. Five minutes into the drive, he stared at Catherine and mumbled, "So, what''s the n?" "I don''t know. Maybe we can find the nearest boutique and get something to wear." Catherine said, still feeling depressed about the conversation that she had with a father. Knowing that she was in a bad mood, Rome kept silent, giving her the space she needed. After driving for a while, he stopped in front of a boutique that he knew very well. "We are here." Rome said, unbuckling his seat belt. Then he looked at Catherine, struggling with hers, and he leaned in towards her and unfastened her belt. "Thanks," Catherine whispered. "Are you okay?" Rome asked with concern in his eyes. "Yes¡­ Well, no. But I will be." "Okay, we should head in." A look of excitement crossed Jerry''s face when his boutique door opened, and his gaze rested on Rome alongside Catherine walking into the store. It took him a minute to pull himself together. Then he darted towards them with a pleasant smile on his face. "A good evening to you, ma''am and sir. What can I do for you two lovely couples." Jerry said, eyeing Catherine before focusing on Rome. "Can you direct me to yourdies'' room?" Catherine softly asked. "Oh, walk straight down the corridor and stop at thest door on your right," Jerry said, pointing in the direction of the hallway. With a soft smile, Catherine mumbled, "Thanks." Then she walked away, heading in the direction he gave her. "Show her your best dresses and whatever she picks, bill it to my card, not hers," Rome said, taking his ck card from his pocket. "Yes, sir," Jerry said as he epted the card. A few minutester, Catherine returned to the shop, and when Rome looked into her eyes, it was clear to him that she had been crying. But he didn''t ask any questions, not wanting to make her more ufortable. "Have you picked a suit?" Catherine asked without looking at him. "I was waiting on you." Rome calmly intoned. Swaying his gaze towards Catherine, Jerry grinned and asked, "What kind of dress do you prefer?" "Anything elegant, but not suffocating," Catherine gently stated. Nodding slightly, Jerry focused on Rome and asked, "And you, sir?" "Whatever matches with hers," Rome mumbled, feeling a bit bothered that Catherine had not looked his way since she came back. With a look of excitement on his face, Jerry turned around and said, ¡°Please follow me.¡± Finally, Catherine gazed at Rome, and he took her hand in his without saying a word and walked after Jerry with her close by his side. When they arrived at a room in the back, Jerry ushered them to the leather couch, and Rome and Catherine sat down. ¡°I will be back,¡± Jerry uttered before leaving the room. Then he returned a few minutester with two garment bags and handed one to Catherine and the other to Rome. A whileter, Catherine and Rome got changed in the dressing room, and then, they met Jerry at his desk ¡°I love this dress,¡± Catherine said, smiling as she rested her card on the desk. ¡°I''m d you do,¡± Jerry said, picking up the card. Then he swiped the card in the payment terminal, knowing that the machine was off. Afterward, he gave the card back to Catherine and happily intoned, ¡°Thanks for shopping with us.¡± A few minutester, Catherine and Rome left the boutique, got into the vehicle, and Rome drove them to ¡°ssic hotel.¡± After driving for fifteen minutes, he brought the car to a stop in the parking lot, got out of the vehicle, and walked over to Catherine. "Are you ready?" Rome asked, noticing that she looked a lot more stress. "Yes," Catherine said as she held onto his arms. Then Rome escorted her into the building and led her into the main hall, where the party was. The first person that caught Rome''s attention was his father as he and an elderly fellow with dark hair talked. ''That should be uncle Asher.'' Rome thought, swaying his gaze at them. Then he noticed the members of the Barlow family, standing a few distances away from Catherine and him, so he guarded her through the crowd and towards the Barlows. The moment they came closer, Rome could see the rage burning in Madame Rosey''s eyes. ¡°Look who bothered to show up at thest minute?¡± Chloe mockingly said, giving Catherine a cold stare. But she ignored Chloe''s words and approached her grandmother. ¡°Rome and I apologize foringte,¡± Catherine said with her head bow. ¡°You know the trouble this family has been facingtely, and you dare leave work to mingle with this flop.¡± Madam Roseyshed out. ¡°We are sorry.¡± ¡°Seeing the progress you had made so far, I thought you were finally getting back on the right track and bing useful to this family. But I guess it takes a fool to poison the mind of another fool!¡± As Madam Rosey scolded her granddaughter, she wasn''t watching the volume of her voice, and people''s attention was slowly getting drawn to them. ¡°Mother, please don''t be mad anymore. I have already scolded Catherine over the phone. I''m sure that she knows what she has done wrong.¡± Edward said, pleadingly staring at Madam Rosey. Then he turned to Catherine and mumbled, ¡°Say ''sorry'' sincerely to your grandmother so her anger can subside.¡± ¡°I''m sorry, grandma.¡± Catherine humbly said, bowing deeply. It was finally clear to Rome why his wife had been in a depressing mood all this while, and he felt rage welling up in him. Without giving it a second thought, he walked up to Catherine, grabbed her arm, and pulled her up. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Catherine whispered, fixing her teary eyes on his. ¡°I should be the one apologizing since I was the one who convinced you to skip work,¡± Rome said with All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. a smile. Then he faced Madam Rosey, bowed slightly, and said, ¡°I''m sorry that my wife offended you because of me.¡± At this point, everyone¡¯s gazes were on them, and Mr. Ford nor Asher looked happy about what was going on. But respecting Rome¡¯s decision, they stood by and watched him bow before the Barlows. ¡°Stand up,¡± Madam Roseymanded with her cold gaze on Rome. When he lifted his head and faced her, she scowled at him with hate in her eyes. ¡°How dare you interrupt me when I''m scolding my granddaughter.¡± Madam Roseyshed out, raising her hand and swinging towards Rome. But Catherine rushed between her husband and her grandmother, and the p hit against her cheek. ¡°We are sorry for making grandma this mad. It won''t happen again.¡± Catherine said, fighting back her tears. The entire hall went silent as the guest stared in shock, knowing that the daughter-inw of the Ford family had been humiliated before their very eyes. Anger rolled through Rome as he stared at the mocking smiles on Catherine¡¯s cousin¡¯s lips, the pleased expression on her uncle''s and wife¡¯s faces, and the anger in her grandmother''s eyes. ¡®Enough is enough!¡¯ Rome thought, clutching his fist. Chapter 53 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.¡¯ Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Time moved at a natural pace, and it was finally the day of Chloe''s wedding. That morning, a loud banged on the door caused Catherine to jump out of her sleep. Then she looked at Rome, and at that moment his eyelids rose and their eyes locked. ¡°Catherine!¡± Edward''s voice echoed from outside the room. Knowing that it was her father at the door, Catherine was about to rush out of the bed when Rome grabbed her wrist, causing her to stop and look at him. ¡°Do you still feel the same way that you felt at the party?¡± Rome asked with his eyes fixed on hers. Although she was confused for a moment, Catherine finally understood the question, and she answered, ¡°Yes, I don''t want to go to the wedding.¡± ¡°Good. Then let me answer the door.¡± Rome calmly said. Nodding slightly, Catherine smiled and mumbled, ¡°Okay,¡± Afterward, Rome left the bed and walked to the door. Then he opened it and gazed at Edward. ¡°Good morning, father-inw?¡± Rome casually said while staring into his angry eyes. ¡°Where is my daughter?¡± Edward roughly intoned, ignoring his greeting. ¡°She''s asleep. Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Yes, there is! Today is her cousin''s wedding. She is supposed to be with her family and not in bed, especially not with you!¡± With a carefree expression, Rome sighed and said, ¡°My wife doesn''t want to go to the wedding and as her husband, I support her decision. So yeah, she''s staying home with me.¡± ¡°You rascal! Catherine was humble before she met you, and now she has be a totally different person!¡± Edwardshed out. ¡°Nah, she''s the same Catherine, but she is finally being true to her emotions and not keeping it all inside.¡± ¡°I don''t care what you say, but you are wrong for Catherine!¡± ¡°No one is more right for your daughter than me. You should keep that in mind.¡± Frowning at Rome, Edward tried looking over his shoulder as he screamed, ¡°Catherine! Get dressed and let''s go!¡± ¡°I apologize for this father-inw, but I have to close the door,¡± Rome mumbled. After his remark, he slightly bowed before slowly closing the door in Edward¡¯s face. Then he turned around, gazed at Catherine, and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I couldn''t be anymore better,¡± Catherine said with a faint smile. A few minutester, everyone left the mansion, and Rome and Catherine were the only ones in the family who were still at home. ¡°Do you want to get out of here and get something to eat?¡± Rome asked as he wore his sweatshirt. ¡°Yes,¡± Catherine said in excitement. Right at that instant, Rome¡¯s phone buzzed, so he forgot about wearing his sock, walked over to the bed, and picked it up. The moment he answered the call, he heard Brook say, ¡°Boss, we have eyes and ears in the wedding venue.¡± ¡°Good. Keep me updated.¡± Rome said, and then he ended the call. When he dropped the phone back on the bed, he noticed Catherine staring at him, and he smiled at her before focusing on wearing his sock. The ten limousines arrived at the wedding venue and they came to a stop. Then the doors opened and the Barlow family got out and headed into the hotel. The ballroom of the hotel was being used for the ceremony, but the family members headed to their various rooms to get prepared for the wedding, which was scheduled to start in a few hours. A whileter, Catherine and Rome arrived at a nice cafe and headed inside the building. Once they took their seat, a waiter approached them to take their orders. When Catherine had given her order, Rome¡¯s phone buzzed, and he picked it up. After opening his inbox, Rome silently read, ¡°Boss, guests have started arriving. Should we act now?¡± ¡°Not until Dash and Chloe are a legally wedded couple.¡± Rome texted back beforeying his phone back on the table. Then he looked at the waiter and said, ¡°I will have a in ck coffee.¡± Finally, after getting dressed, Madam Rosey and her husband left their hotel room and came downstairs, heading in the direction of the ballroom. When they arrived, Edward and Dana slightly bowed and said in unison, ¡°Wee, mother and father.¡± Staring away from her husband, Madam Rosey gazed at her son and asked, ¡°Has any influential guest arrived?¡± ¡°Not many people have shown up yet. But I''m certain they wille.¡± Edward said, feeling doubtful about his every word since there were only a few minutes left for the ceremony to start. ¡°If they don''t show up, it''s all your daughter''s fault. Most of those guests seemed weing to Catherine, and Chloe had to misbehave on her.¡± Mr. Barlow said in annoyance. ¡°Honey,¡± Madam Rosey mumbled. ¡°What? Are we supposed to pretend like we are blind and we didn''t see half of the guests leave after she and Rome walked out!¡± ¡°I know, but they could have left because of the barbaric act Rome disyed.¡± Without talking, Mr. Barlow cleared his throat and walked into the hall and then Madam Rosey followed him. After a few more minutes had gone by, it was time for the wedding ceremony to begin, and Mr. Barlow looked around the hall and saw a half of the seats empty, and those chairs were reserved for the dignitaries and business tycoons. ¡°I can''t believe none of them show up,¡± Madam Rosey mumbled with a frown. ¡°Avish wedding with such small attendees. What a waste of money.¡± Mr. Barlow said, feeling enraged in his spirit. ¡°Now, I regret inviting the press. This is so humiliating.¡± ¡°It can''t get worse than this, and we have to make sure that it doesn''t.¡± The half-fill mug sat before Rome, but he had not taken a sip of his coffee for a while since he was more focused on Catherine. His index finger slowly rubbed against his bottom lip as he kept his eyes on her, watching her bite into This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. her donut. Suddenly, the buzz from his phone drew his attention off her, and he focused on its screen. ¡°The bride and the groom have entered the hall.¡± Scar¡¯s message said. Looking away from his phone, Rome fixed his eyes back on Catherine, and when she looked at him, he smiled. ¡®I¡®m d you are not there to get mixed up with the mess that is about to happen.¡¯ Rome thought as he leaned towards Catherine and slowly wiped the donut powder off her lips. A few minutes into the wedding ceremony, the pastor finally asked, ¡°Chloe Barlow, do you take Dash Johnson as yourwful wedded husband?¡± Although Chloe wasn''t excited about the turnout of people at her wedding, she still faked a smile and said, ¡°I do.¡± After the pastor had posed the question to Dash and he said, ¡°I Do,¡± they were both pronounced husband and wife. Once Scar saw Dash kissing Chloe, he looked down at his phone screen and texted, ¡°They are now a married couple.¡± When Rome received the text, he didn''t hesitate to message back, ¡°Release the information.¡± It took a matter of minutes after Scar received the order from Rome for every reporters¡¯ phone in the hall to start buzzing. ¡°It has begun.¡± Rome read in silence as he stared at his message box. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 The room was silent as Catherineid on the bed, scrolling through her news feed. But then she raised her head and stared at the door. ¡°You are back,¡± Catherine mumbled, dropping her phone on the sheet as she stared at Rome. Then her brows lowered when her gaze rested on his mouth and the deep cut on his lip. ¡°What happened?¡± Catherine whispered, stepping down from the bed. Not knowing what to say, Rome watched her approach him. Then he smiled, but her expression remained cold. ¡°Why is your lip this bruised?¡± Catherine asked, sounding concerned. It took Rome a moment for him to pick a random thought from his head and then said, ¡°I got punched by a workmate.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You know how us men are.¡± ¡°No, I don''t know because I''m not a man, so why is your workmate hitting you?¡± Silence fell between them, and when Rome didn''t answer after a couple of seconds had gone by, Catherine took in a deep breath and mumbled, ¡°Are you getting bullied at work?¡± ¡°No,¡± Rome said without looking at her. ¡°You are lying. You can''t even stare me in the eyes and answer.¡± ¡°It''s not like that. Plus, It is nothing that I can''t handle.¡± ¡°Like the way you handle things my family does to you! It''s not okay that you let people walk all over you!¡± Seeing the hurt in her eyes, Rome mumbled, ¡°Catherine,¡± ¡°I''m sorry. I don''t like seeing you get hurt, emotionally or physically!¡± Catherineshed out, aggressively wiping her face while sniffing aggressively. Smiling softly, Rome held her hand, pulled her against his chest, and embraced her. Then he leaned towards her ear and whispered, ¡°I know.¡± After holding her in his arms for a while, he mumbled, ¡°It''s almost eight. Are we still going to the party?¡± ¡°If we don''t, we will know no peace tomorrow,¡± Catherine said. ¡°True.¡± ¡°We should get ready.¡± By eight o''clock, Rome came downstairs with Catherine holding onto his arm. When both of them were walking past the dining room, Madam Rosey called out, ¡°Are you two just Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. gonna leave without telling anyone?¡± Stopping in their tracks, Rome and Catherine stared at the living room entrance. Then they both took in a deep breath almost at the same time before entering the living room. ¡°Who messed your face up?¡± Jeff mockingly said the moment his eyes caught a glimpse of the cut on Rome''s lip. ¡°It''s none of your business.¡± Catherine angrily uttered as she red at her cousin. Then she gazed back at her grandmother, and Madam Rosey frowned, then said, ¡°Is it also none of my business because I have the same question.¡± ¡°I got punched in the face by a colleague,¡± Rome said, cutting Catherine off as she was about to speak. Anger spiked in Mr. Barlow''s eyes when he looked at his granddaughter and asked, ¡°And you love him because?¡± ¡°The party will soon start. Rome and I should get going.¡± Catherine calmly said. Then she and Rome turned to leave, but he stopped, realizing that he almost bumped into Elijah. For a moment, both men stared at each other for a while, and Rome was bing unsure that Mr. Davis didn''t double-cross him. But then Elijah said nothing to him as he walked past him and headed for the couch. ¡®I guess he is nning on keeping his word.¡¯ Rome thought as he followed Catherine out of the living room. At nine o''clock, they walked into the ballroom of the Grand hotel, and Catherine immediately became ufortable, realizing that everyone at the party was nothing but strangers to her. ¡°Should we get out of here?¡± Catherine asked as she looked up at Rome. ¡°But the party is just starting,¡± Zayn said as he approached her and Rome. When he was just an inch away from her, he extended his hand towards Catherine. But she nkly stared at him without making any movement. ¡°It''s lovely that you grace me with your presence,¡± Zayn said with a half-smile as he drew his hand to his side. Then he stared at Rome and rudely said, ¡°I don''t remember sending you an invitation!¡± The raise in his voice made others to turned their heads in their direction and stared at them. ¡°I don''t need one, especially since my wife got invited.¡± Rome calmly uttered even though he was enraged by the mere sight of Zayn. ¡°Well, that''s because I wanted your wife here and not you!¡± Zayn firmly said. ¡°Do you know how stupid you sound!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I''m not a fan of exining myself to idiots.¡± Swaying his attention off Zayn''s angry expression, Rome stared at Catherine and said, ¡°Do you want to get out of here?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Catherine excitedly uttered. Then she and Rome turned to leave, but Zayn grabbed onto her arm and said, ¡°Your grandfather promised me that you were going to show up.¡± Pressing her lips, Catherine deeply inhaled to calm herself down. Then she turned around, yanked her arm out of his grip as she frowned at him, and said, ¡°I showed up, didn''t I?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Zayn mumbled in disbelief. ¡°Now, I''m leaving because I have done what my grandfather wanted, and that was for me to show up.¡± ¡°You can''t leave now.¡± For a moment, Rome''s expression bored anger. Then he faintly smiled as he watched Albert walk up to them. When their eyes locked, Albert cleared his throat as Rome''s words crossed his mind, "Remember my name and identity the next time we meet. If you forget, I will have to remind you, and I won''t be this calm then." A feeling of panic coursed through Albert as he thought, ¡®So this is what he meant. He wants me to act now or he will take action against meter.¡¯ Then he gazed at his son andshed out, ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± ¡°Father,¡± Zayn mumbled as he stared wide-eyed at Albert. It shocked him to see anger in his father''s eyes when he gazed at him since Albert seemed to have interest him and Catherine getting together. ¡°If Mrs. Miller wants to leave the party with her husband, I don''t see anything wrong with that. He''s her husband, after all.¡± Albert said as he avoided looking at Rome. Feeling angry that his father was embarrassing him in front of all of his guests, Zayn scowled and coldly said, ¡°Her husband? That loser is nowhere near worthy to represent Catherine as her husband!¡± Without holding back, Albert viciously pped his son before getting a grip of his anger. ¡°You hit me because I spoke the truth! What is wrong with you!¡± Zayn shouted, feeling more enraged, than embarrassed. ¡°You don''t know how much garbage you are spitting out right now!¡± Albert said as his hand trembled from guilt because it was the first time he had hit his son. ¡°Garbage! What hase over you!¡± ¡°You better shut up before I make mywyers rewrite my will without mentioning you in it!¡± Even though his anger was off the charts, Zayn sealed his lips and walked away. After gazing behind his son for a while, Albert faintly smiled at Rome, then at Catherine, and said, ¡°I''m sorry about my son''s behavior. I can promise you that tonight is going to be thest time he''s going to talk to you.¡± ¡°That''s good because my wife is not fond of your son, and I appreciate the fact that you are going to keep him away from her.¡± Rome calmly uttered, gazing directly at Albert''s eyes. Then he held Catherine by her waist and escorted her out of the hall. When she and Rome arrived in the parking lot, Catherine stared at him and said, ¡°I''m amazed at how Mr. Dank stood up to his son. He''s a good man and father.¡± ¡°Sure, he is,¡± Rome mumbled as he opened the car door for her. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 The dining hall was silent as everyone listened attentively to Elijah¡¯s voice echoing from the phone speaker. Every client in the room quietly stared at Elijah while he rested his elbows on the desk and said, ¡°I know you all are wondering why you guys are here.¡± ¡°Well, yes. I mean that''s the only reason we all came.¡± A fellow said, sounding a bit annoyed. ¡°Right, then I will get to it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± It was quiet for a few seconds. Then Elijah took a deep breath and said, ¡°I will be resigning from DreamTeam by tomorrow.¡± Everyone at the dining table looked shocked, including Rome because Catherine had stared wide-eyed at him, and he didn''t want to be the only one not surprised. ¡°What!¡± Mr. Barlow shouted. Swaying his gaze away from Elijah, Davis stared down at the table and let out a sigh of relief, knowing that he had low the call to thest volume on his phone. ¡°What? Why?¡± Ady asked in dismay as she stared at Elijah. ¡°Every fledgling has to fly out of their nest one day, and for me, tomorrow is my day,¡± Elijah said with a look of hesitation in his eyes. Then he pondered on his thoughts for a while. Afterward, he fixed his gaze on his clients and boastfully uttered, ¡°To be honest, this fledgling had spread his wings a long time ago and flew from its nest.¡± ¡°Can you speak more clearly?¡± A gentleman said as he slowly tapped his hand on the table. In anger, Mr. Barlow frowned and harshly mumbled, ¡°Right, talk clearly!¡± Feeling confident, Elijah stood to his feet, bent over, resting his palms t on the table ss surface, and said with pride, ¡°I''m the co-founder of DBA INC!¡± Immediately, Mr. Barlow jumped to his feet, knocking the chair to the floor, and then he shouted, ¡°What nonsense did I just hear?! What did this fool just said?!¡± Seeing how workout her husband was, Madam Rosey reached for his hand and softly intoned, ¡°Honey, please calm down.¡± But Mr. Barlow smacked her hand away from him and yelled, ¡°Calm down! You want me to do what! Calm down! Your son dared to stab me right in the heart, and you want me to calm down!¡± In an effort to clear her name before things escte, Chloe pouted and said, ¡°Grandfather, I didn''t know All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. about this¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°I...¡± Staring at William and Anthony, Rome could see that they were more nervous than shocked, and he guessed that they knew about this from the beginning. ¡®But why didn''t both of them blow an rm on Elijah?¡¯ Rome thought, zooming into his head for a moment. Then after a few seconds had gone by, Rome''s lips curved into a smirk as a thought crossed his mind, ¡®Maybe it''s because he holds a dirt on both of them.¡¯ There was mumblinging from every angle of the room as the clients stared at each other and whispered. Then Elijah tapped his palms on the table and said, ¡°Please speak one at a time.¡± ¡°Okay, you own DBA INC. But what does that have to do with us?¡± A ssic-lookingdy asked. ¡°You guys are my clients, and since I''m leaving DreamTeam, I want you all to sign over to DBA INC,¡± Elijah said with a straight face. Resting his hands on his hips, Mr. Barlow let out a bitterugh, and yet there was a touch of hurt in his eyes. ¡°The audacity!¡± He mumbled, striving to get a grip on his anger. Then he took in a few deep breaths and said, ¡°Unbelievable. Just unbelievable. I can''t believe I have a son like him.¡± After wallowing in his feelings for a moment, he blurted out, ¡°No, I don''t have a son like this. It''s impossible to see him as my child after today.¡± ¡°Honey,¡± Madam Rosey cried, knowing exactly where her husband''s statement was heading. The other family members kept silent since none of them desired to mistakenly anger Mr. Barlow and get dragged into a storm that they have no business getting involved in. ¡°Can we take turns to speak?¡± Elijah asked as he watched his clients mumble among themselves. ¡°Personally, I handed my project over to DreamTeam because of your father, and I don''t feel ¡°I know who my father is in this industry and how much he is well respected. But if you all think about it, I am the one overseeing you guys¡¯ projects. So clearly, it is not my father who deserve your recognition, but me.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± Smiling, Elijah raised his chest and said, ¡°Right!¡± Then he watched the hesitation in his clients¡¯ faces fade slowly, and then he decided to use thest card he had been saving. ¡°As you guys can see, there''s a folder in front of you all.¡± Elijah calmly uttered. Then he waited for everyone to open their folders before saying, ¡°Inside each of them are documents that outline how DBA INC. will handle your project, and it is way better and effective than what you have at DreamTeam.¡± At this point, Mr. Barlow had lost control of his angerpletely, and he was pacing back and forth, struggling to take control back. ¡°Elijah, what have you done?¡± Madam Rosey mumbled beneath her breath. With fear in his eyes, Dash looked at Rome and thought, ¡®You are a dangerous man.¡¯ At that moment, Rome met his eyes, and Dash hastily gazed away as goosebumps covered his skin. ¡°This is not good,¡± Anthony whispered to William. Then his brother gazed at him and mumbled, ¡°I know. It''s like karma ising for all of us, and she''s not ying.¡± After staring through the document, Mr. Davis gazed at Elijah and mumbled, ¡°These are ready good offers.¡± ¡°Right? You guys can consider them as a wee package if you all decide to join DBA INC.¡± Elijah said with a look of satisfaction in his eyes. There was a brief pause. Then an elderly gentleman said, ¡°Well, I can work with this, and I don''t mind transferring to anotherpany since I will be getting the same services for a cheaper price.¡± It took a while, but finally, the other clients started nodding their heads and agreeing with his statement. ¡°I am going to disown him! I swear, there''s no more painful disappointment than this!¡± Mr. Barlow shouted, abandoning his phone and storming out of the dining room. ¡°Honey, please.¡± Madam Rosey called out as she followed her husband. The second her grandmother left the living room, Chloe hastily picked up the phone and dialed her father. The smile on Elijah¡¯s lips widened when his phone buzzed, and he saw his daughter''s name blinking on the screen. The moment he answered the call, Chloe¡¯s voice echoed into his ear, ¡°Come home now and be prepared to kneel until grandfather forgive you because you, mom, and I are about to lose the right to the Barlow name.¡± ¡°What! What happened?¡± Elijah blurted out with a touch of fear in his eyes as his smile instantly disappear. ¡°Grandfather heard everything, and he knows it all. So get home now!¡± ¡°I''m on my way!¡± After ending the call, Elijah frowned as he stared at the faces of his clients and he wondered which one of them ratted him out. Then he rushed out of the room, mming the door behind him. ¡®Sorry, pal. But your nephew-inw gave me two options with one choice. You or my family, and there''s no way I''m giving up my marriage for you.¡¯ Mr. Davis thought. Then he ended the call, picked his phone off the table, and walked out of the room. ¡°Are you good?¡± Rome asked as he stared at Catherine and noticed that she was pinching tightly onto his t-shirt that she was wearing. ¡°Yeah, it''s just sad that uncle would do something like this to grandfather,¡± Catherine mumbled, gazing into his eyes. Frowning, Chloe shouted, ¡°Who do you think you are to judge my dad! Compared to him, your father is just an underdog! My father might have messed up a bit, but Edward had been useless to this family for a long time?!¡± ¡°Dash, get your wife under control!¡± Rome shouted in a fit of rage. Everyone, including Catherine, seemed shocked by the power and force in his tone. For a moment, Catherine could see the side of her husband that was of dominance and authority. Keeping her gaze solely on Rome, Catherine found herself fallen harder for him by the seconds. ¡°Isn''t it funny how a random person just decided to expose uncle Elijah? I don''t know, but nothing about it sit right with me.¡± Jeff said out loud with his focus on Rome. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 On Monday morning, the first light of dawn met Rome already dressed. After he had put his phone into his coat pocket, he walked over to Catherine and kissed her on her forehead before leaving the room. When Rome arrived in the hallway, he met Jeff, leaning against the wall. However, Rome walked past him. But he rushed after Rome and violently grabbed onto his arm. It took only one look from Rome to make Jeff let go of his hand. Then he frowned at Rome and said, ¡°I saw how you treated uncle Elijah yesterday. You are in on what Catherine is doing, right?¡± Without replying, Rome narrowed his eyes at him and then walked away. ¡°I know who''s going to have thestugh, and it''s not going to be you two.¡± Jeff said as he watched Rome¡¯s back fade down the stairs. After arriving at his and Mr. Ondo''s normal meet-up spot, Rome paid the driver and got out of the cab. Then he walked over to the White jeep and got into the backseat. ¡°Your face looks better, boss.¡± K mumbled as he stared back at Rome. ¡°What did you tell, miss, when you got home on Saturday?¡± Mr. Ondo asked out of curiosity. ¡°She assumed something different, and I just flowed along with it. Now can you drive to the casino? I have a meeting with Davis in a few minutes from now.¡± Rome said with a deadpan expression. Keeping silent, Mr. Ondo quickly started the car and drove off. A whileter, the jeep came to a stop, and once Mr. Ondo had turned the engine off, Rome stepped down from the vehicle. Then he saw ze, Scar, and Brook awaiting him in front of the building. The nervous look on their faces made Rome frowned, and the moment he reached them, he asked, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°You shoulde and see for yourself?¡± Scar mumbled. Although he didn''t appreciate the suspend, Rome followed them inside, and when they arrived upstairs, in the private room, Rome''s eyes widened. Then he sighed and asked, ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± ¡°You broke your promise on Saturday, so I''m here to make you make it up to me.¡± Mr. Ford said with an unbothered expression. Trying his hardest to look mad even though he wanted tough, Rome gazed back at K, Scar, Brook, and ze and mumbled, ¡°Which one of you told him that I was going to be here this morning?¡± ¡°None of them knew that I wasing. Those four are loyal to you. But I have my ways to get my informations. Nowe sit down.¡± Mr. Ford casually said as he dished a spoonful of soup in a white bowl. Realizing that he had no other option, Rome walked over to his father and sat down on the couch. ''What is he up to?'' Rome thought, staring intensely at Mr. Ford. Then he gazing down at the bowl as his father ced it on the table, in front of him. At that moment, the sound of a gentle knock echoed into the room, and Brook opened the door. Then he stared at a built fellow and asked, ¡°What is it, Tio?¡± ¡°A guy named Davis is here to see, boss,¡± Tio mumbled. At that moment, his eyes caught a glimpse of Mr. Ford and Rome. Immediately, Tio slightly bowed and shouted, ¡°Good morning, big boss and boss!¡± ¡°Let him in,¡± Mr. Ford said, cing some shrimps on a te before setting it down in front of Rome. Standing up straight, Tio humbly said, ¡°Yes, big boss.¡± Then he rushed back downstairs, and Brook shut the door. A frown crossed Mr. Ford¡¯s face when he noticed that Rome was simply staring at him, and he hadn''t touched his food. ¡°The soup will get cold if you don''t eat faster.¡± Mr. Ford mumbled as he reached for the rice bowl. But Rome gently grabbed his wrist and said, ¡°I should be the one serving you.¡± ¡°If your mother was here, she would be doing this. Since she''s not, I will. I don''t want to feel ashamed when I meet her again because I didn''t take care of you.¡± Mr. Ford pitifully said. With a touch of sadness in his eyes, Rome slowly let go of his father''s hand and calmly intoned, ¡°Stop talking like you are on your deathbed. It''s annoying.¡± At that moment, the door opened, and Mr. Davis walked inside. Then he froze as he stared at Mr. Ford with fear in his eyes. Ignoring him, Mr. Ford looked at Rome while he dished some rice into the bowl, set it on the table, and said, ¡°Go ahead and eat.¡± For a moment Rome stared at his father in disbelief. Then he picked up the spoon and took a sip of the soup. ¡°What''s going on here?¡± Mr. Davis mumbled in shock. ¡°I''m having breakfast with my son. What does it look like?¡± Mr. Ford coldly said with his icy gaze fixed on him. ¡°Yo-ur¡­ so-n?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As a sense of fear took over him, Mr. Davis felt his hand trembling while he thought, ¡®I called him names, and threatened him. What grave have I dug for myself?¡¯ After a minute had gone by without Rome saying a word to him, he felt his heartbeat increasing. ¡°I should leave, and give you guys some privacy.¡± Mr. Davis said, feeling his palms getting sweaty. ¡°Stay,¡± Romemanded, eating a spoonful of rice. Without any hesitation, Mr. Davis stood still, striving his best not to breathe too loud or make any sound. Taking his time, Rome ate in silence along with his father, and Mr. Davis had to stand there and watch while fearing what fate both father and son had in store for him. Then he turned his head to the left and saw K and Brook ring at him.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. In fear, he swayed his gaze to the right and noticed that Scar and ze were coldly staring him. Suddenly the room felt hot, and Mr. Davis found himself desperately wishing that the ground would open and swallow him whole. Finally, Rome felt full, and heid his spoon down. Then he deeply inhaled and mumbled, ¡°This was a good breakfast.¡± ¡°Right? I hired chef Weyerhaeuser to cook them.¡± Mr. Ford said, resting his spoon on the te. With his mouth slightly opened, Mr. Davis stared wide-eyed at Mr. Ford and thought, ¡®He hired such a five-star chef just to make breakfast for his son? He''s this willing to spoil his child, and I dare to call him names! I''m screwed!¡¯ With his gaze on his father, Rome grinned. Then he turned to Mr. Davis and that smile immediately faded, leaving him with a cold expression. ¡°I''m sorry! I was an idiot! A fool! I''m just an ignorant loser who doesn''t know his right from his wrong! Please forgive my stupidity!¡± Mr. Davis blurted out as sweats dripped down his forehead. ¡°Ok-ay...¡± Rome mumbled without care. Then he took out his phone, and when Mr. Davis saw it, he felt a sense of desperation and relief at the same time. ¡°You are not getting the photos today.¡± Rome casually said, lying back on the couch. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 A looked of anger crossed Mr. Davis''s face and within a split second, he forgot who presence he was in. ¡°What!¡± Mr. Davis shouted before getting a grip on his tongue. Pulling his brows into a frown, Rome gave him an icy stare without uttering a word. The was a long paused. Then Mr. Davis suppressed his anger and mumbled, ¡°Of course. Anything you N?velDrama.Org (C) content. say, I will not object. You can keep the photos until you feel ready to give them to me.¡± After taking a moment to fight his urge to tighten his fist, he pitifully gazed at Rome, bent his back lower, resting his palms against his kneecaps, and pleaded, ¡°I beg you not to send them to my wife. It will ruin my family and my image. I will do anything you say!¡± ¡°Good, because I still have use for you,¡± Rome mumbled, dropping his phone on the couch. Even though he felt hesitant to ask, Mr. Davis swallowed hard and mumbled, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I''m not going to say what it is now. But I will inform you when I have a use for you.¡± After keeping silent for a while, Mr. Davis nodded and said, ¡°Okay. I will await yourmand.¡± Then he stood up straight. But when he turned around to leave, Rome said, ¡°One word to the Barlows about my identity, and these photos will make headlines along with the news about the sudden decline in yourpany process. Clear?¡± ¡°Crystal,¡± Mr. Davis said before walking out of the room. It became silent for a while. Then Mr. Ford cleared his throat and said, ¡°That went well.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Rome mumbled, staring away from the door. Then he gazed at his father as Mr. Ford opened a bottle of wine and pulled some in two separate sses. Afterward, he handed Rome one of the sses, and the moment his son took a sip of the wine, Mr. Ford slyly smiled and asked, ¡°Did I tell you that one of my friends is having a cruise party?¡± Frowning, Rome set the ss down and said, ¡°No, you did not.¡± ¡°Well, he''s having his fifty-five birthday celebration on a ship, and he invited me. Then he gave me another invitation to bring a plus one.¡± ¡°Breakfast was a trap, wasn''t it?¡± With an innocent expression on his face, Mr. Ford chuckled and softly intoned, ¡°Why would I feed you, just to trap you. I''m just letting you know that I have a separate invitation if you want to tag along with your lonely old man.¡± ¡°See, you are doing it again!¡± Rome said in disbelief. ¡°Doing what?¡± ¡°Trying to manipte me!¡± ¡°I''m not!¡± Smirking, Rome gave his father a side-eye and said, ¡°That''s good to hear because I''m not apanying you.¡± ¡°Fine, I''m going to go alone. If I get drunk or ill, and someone asks if I have my family with me, I can tell them that I lost the love of my life, and my son doesn''t care about me.¡± Mr. Fordshed out as he stood to his feet. Smiling at his father, Rome thought, ¡®What a sly fox?¡¯ Then he sighed and said, ¡°Fine. When is this party?¡± ¡°Next week Saturday,¡± Mr. Ford said with a sudden smile on his lips. ¡°I will be there.¡± The corners of Mr. Ford''s eyes crinkled as he smiled and said, ¡°Great, I will call Jerry and get him working on your suit.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Rome said. For a moment, Mr. Ford stared at him before saying, ¡°See you around son.¡± Afterward, he walked out of the room, and Rome stared at the door for a few seconds, then his ringtone distracted him. When Rome picked up his phone for the couch and saw "My Wife¡± blinking on the screen, he hastily answered the call. ¡°Morning, wife,¡± Rome said. ¡°I woke up, and you were gone without leaving a note or anything. Is there a problem?¡± Catherine mumbled as she took her car key from the dresser. ¡°No, not at all. I just had to get to work early.¡± ¡°So you missed breakfast?¡± ¡°Yeah, but I will grab something to eatter with my workmates.¡± The was a brief pause as Catherine got a hold of her purse. Then she sighed and said, ¡°I''m going to stop by at a cafe, get you some food, and then I''m going over to your worksite.¡± ¡°It''s fine. You don''t have to stress yourself like that.¡± Rome said, hastily waking up from the couch. ¡°I know. But I really want to, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, I will be waiting for you.¡± After Catherine ended the call, Rome shoved his phone into his coat pocket. Then he rushed out of the room. When he arrived outside, he hurried to the jeep, got in, and said, ¡°Drive as if your life depends on it!¡± Not asking any questions, Mr. Ondo stepped on the elerator pedal and drove off at full speed why K was still struggling to wear his seatbelt. ¡°How long would it take to get to the construction site?¡± Rome asked, staring down at his phone screen. ¡°An hour and a few minutes.¡± Mr. Ondo said as he overtook another car. ¡°Catherine is going to be there in less than that. I should have told her something else.¡± ¡°What? Miss is going to the construction site?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°Ahh, this is not good. Do you know what to say to her if she gets there before us!¡± ¡°I don''t, so make sure that she doesn''t reach there first!¡± Suddenly a look of horror spiked in Mr. Ondo''s eyes as he stepped on the brake pedal and shouted, ¡°Traffic!¡± Then he looked at Rome''s reflection in the V mirror and nervously asked, ¡°Have you thought about telling her the truth? I mean, now looks like the perfect time?¡± ¡°How do you think that''s going to turn out!¡± Rome angrily inquired while anxiously staring at his phone screen. ¡°Maybe she will appreciate your efforts and be okay with you helping her to get to the top!¡± ¡°Wrong! When ites to her family, Catherine has conscious towards them, but I don''t! I don''t care which one of them I get to drag in the mud, but she will because she soft.¡± ¡°True.¡± ¡°That''s why she can''t know the truth, not when I am so close to dragging the rest of herpetition in the dust and making her the family top inheritor.¡± Joy glowed in Mr. Ondo''s eyes when the cars ahead of him started moving again. ¡°We just lost ten minutes because of this traffic. I hate this!¡± Rome mumbled, resting his palm against his forehead. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 A ck sedan came to a stop a few distances away from the construction site. Then Catherine got down from the car and walked towards the unfinished building. A smile surfaced on her lips when her eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar face and she called out, ¡°Pablo.¡± Even though that wasn''t his name, he remember Catherine immediately and said, ¡°Good morning, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Good morning. Is my husband here?¡± Catherine asked with a friendly smile. ¡°Yes, he''s in the back, doing thest of his work. I will get him.¡± ¡°It''s fine. I will wait here for him.¡± After a few minutes had gone by, Catherine gazed down at her toes as she pouted because Rome was taking long. Then she heard, ¡°Hey, wife,¡± and immediately, she lifted her head and chuckled as she stared at Rome, gazing back at her. Unable to stop smiling, she walked over to him and used her thumb to slowly wiped the dirt off his face. ¡°Sorry that I came a bitte. The line in the cafe was long, and I had to wait for a while before getting my order.¡± Catherine said, withdrawing her hand from his face. ¡°It''s fine,¡± Rome mumbled, feeling quite relief. Then he removed her hair from her face, tugged it behind her ear, and thought, ¡® I''m d I got here before you. Ondo is a mad driver.¡¯ ¡°You must be hungry,¡± Catherine said, realizing that she was still holding onto the bag. ¡°I am done with my shift. So, I''m going to clean up a bit, get changed, and then we can leave.¡± Rome said, avoiding her eyes. Staring at the filthy-looking clothes on him, Catherine slightly nodded, feeling baffled about the fact that she didn''t recognize those clothes. Then she watched Rome head back in the direction he came from. A sigh of relief escape his lips as he stared at one of the employees, who was wearing only his boxer. After getting changed out of the guy''s clothes, Rome pulled out his wallet and took out a stack of hundred bills. ¡°Here''s your two thousand dors that I promise,¡± Rome said, handing the money over. When he epted the cash from Rome, he took his time to check them and then said, ¡°You must be crazy or rich to spend two grams on those rags. You are both, ain¡¯t you.¡± Without replying, Rome got dressed in his own clothes, took the guy''s bag, and stuff his clothes into it before zipping the bag. ¡®The things I do,¡¯ Rome thought as he walked away. When he reached outside, he walked over to Catherine, looked back, and said, ¡°See you tomorrow, Pablo.¡± Not saying a word, he watched Catherine and Rome walked away. Then after they got into her sedan, he took out a roll of money, smiled, and muttered, ¡°You are wee back anytime, Rome.¡± After throwing the guy¡¯s bag in the backseat. Rome focus on Catherine as she handed him the stic bag. Then she started the car and drove off, passing by the White jeep that was pack on the side of the Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. road. ¡°Did you buy a few new items that I don''t know about?¡± Catherine mumbled, keeping her gaze fixed on the road. ¡°Umm¡­ Yes. But I won''t say new. I have had them for a while.¡± Rome said, feeling a sense of nervousness. ¡°I don''t remember them.¡± ¡°Hum, Really?¡± It grew silent for a few minutes. Then Catherine smiled and said, ¡°You have gotten a lot of things over the period of time, and I don''t think I remember them all. So, yeah.¡± A momentter, Catherine drove into the "DreamTeam" parking lot, and then she and Rome got down from the vehicle. When he and Catherine arrived in her office a few minutester, it took a few seconds, then her secretary entered the room. Afterward, she stared at Catherine and said, ¡°Boss, the chairman just called, and he said that you should go to his office.¡± ¡°Okay, thanks,¡± Catherine mumbled, dropping her bag on the desk. After her secretary left, Rome gazed at Catherine and said, ¡°I shoulde with you.¡± ¡°Don''t you want to eat?¡± Catherine asked, staring at the bag in Rome''s hand. ¡°You haven''t eaten either, have you?¡± ¡°Well, no.¡± ¡°Then we can both go to your grandfather, and afterward, we can eat together.¡± Feeling a bit hesitant, Catherine stared at Rome for a while. Then she let out a soft breath and said, ¡°Sure.¡± A momentter, Catherine and Rome arrived in Mr. Barlow''s office, and they felt a bit shock to see, Anthony, William, and Charles there. ¡°Good, you are here. We can begin.¡± Mr. Barlow said with his gazed focus on Catherine. Then he waited for her and Rome to sit down before saying, ¡°Are called you four here because you guys have proofing yourself to bepetent.¡± Keeping his focus on Catherine, Mr. Barlow continued, ¡°Some of you are quite capable than others. That''s why I want to dere today that anyone of you who can get Elijah¡¯s clients to stay with our The room was quiet, but the tension in the atmosphere was high. A frown stered on Charles¡¯ face when he saw how intensely his grandfather was staring at Catherine. After a few seconds had gone by in silence, Mr. Barlow cleared his throat and said, ¡°That''s all I called you all here to say.¡± Even though William and Anthony wanted Elijah''s position so desperately, they knew what would befall them if they ascended to that position, and yet they didn''t want to make their father feel suspicious of them. So William stood to his feet and said, ¡°I will try my best father.¡± Following his brother''s lead, Anthony got off the couch and said, ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Don''t worry, grandfather. I will work my hardest to make sure uncle doesn''t take what rightfully belongs to this family!¡± Charles boastfully stated. But Mr. Barlow didn''t grab what he had said because he was focusing on his granddaughter. ¡°Catherine?¡± Mr. Barlow called out, seeing that she looked hesitant to speak. ¡°I will see what I can do, grandfather.¡± Catherine mumbled with uncertainty in her tone. However, Rome slightly frowned and thought, ¡®She''s not getting those ounts.¡¯ Chapter 97 Chapter 97 From the moment Catherine set her eyes on Estelle, she wasn''t a fan of hers. But the lustful look in Estelle¡¯s eyes as she stared at Rome was getting on Catherine''s nerve and making her really despise her. With a cold expression, Rome gazed at Estelle for a moment. Then he narrowed his eyes and tried to walk past her, but she hastily rested her palm against his chest, causing him to stop. ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± Catherine coldly uttered, ring at her. However, Estelle ignored her, fluttered hershes as she drew her hand to her side, and sweetly said, ¡°I''m sorry. I just want to ask where the bathroom was.¡± ¡°Estelle,¡± Charles called out as he walked over to them. When he came closer, she immediately looked away from Rome and stared at him with a sweet smile on her lips. ¡°Why are you here? I thought you were heading to the bathroom?¡± Charles asked as he rested his hand around her waist. ¡°I''m sorry, love. I lost my way, and I was just asking for direction.¡± Estelle softly uttered with a naive expression. Feeling a bit weird out, Catherine frowned and thought, ¡®Love? How long have they been dating for her to be so bold to call him such a name?¡¯ Swaying her gaze away from Charles, Estelle focused her gaze back on Rome''s eyes, and her lips curved into a gentle smile. But Rome took Catherine''s hand in his, coldly gazed at Estelle, and firmly said, ¡°Don''t you dare touch me again!¡± As he was about to walk away with Catherine, Charlesshed out, ¡°What do you think you are telling my guest! Do you know who you are speaking to!¡± ¡°I don''t give a damn who she is. What I do know is that I don''t want her putting her hands on me, so keep her in line!¡± Rome harshly said. Consumed by rage, Charles shouted, ¡°You, good-for-nothing fool! Who the hell do you take yourself as!¡± With rage glowing in his eyes, Rome let go of Catherine''s hand and took a step toward him. Out of fear, Charles wanted to take a step back, but in an effort to maintain his image, he stood his ground. When Rome was just a step away from Charles, he fixed his icy gaze and said, ¡°I will humiliate you if you don''t get a grip on your tongue.¡± Then he swayed his gaze to Estelle and glowered at her before taking Catherine by the hand and leading her away from Charles and Estelle. However, they didn''t walk a far distance when the rest of the family came rushing into the hallway. ¡°What is going on here? We heard Charles scream.¡± Madam Rosey asked with a hint of worry in her eyes. Then she frowned when her gaze rested on Rome, assuming that he might be the reason behind Charles¡¯s anger. Now that he had backup, Charles was about to blurt out hisints against Rome, when Estelle cut him off and softly said, ¡°It''s not something I want to see turn into an issue, so I''m hoping that we can all ignore it and get back to dinner.¡± Knowing that she was someone of great importance, Madam Rosey swallowed down her anger and said, ¡°Of course, and I apologize if Rome did something to offend you. He''s useless in every aspect of his life except when ites to causing problems for our family!¡± With a half-smile on her lips, Este gazed at Rome, and when Catherine nced at her, she knew exactly what her stare meant. So Catherine held on to Rome''s hand and pulled him along with her as she walked away from the crowd. Keeping her focus on Rome, Estelle slightly bit her lip and thought, ¡®Good-for-nothing, useless, I don''t All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. think so.¡¯ ¡°We should get back to our dinner.¡± Madam Rosey said, still feeling quite annoyed, and yet she masked anger with a smile as she gazed at Estelle. It took a few seconds for Estelle to stop looking at Rome. Then she gazed at Madam Rosey and said, ¡°Sure,¡± ¡°Don''t you want to use the restroom?¡± Charles said, striving to keep his rage under control. ¡°Oh, yes. Silly me.¡± ¡°I will show you the way.¡± For a moment, Charles hatefully watched Catherine and Rome walked up the stairs. Then he rested his palm on Estelle¡¯s back and led her away. Everyone else left for the dining hall, except Edward because he followed after his daughter. When they arrived in their bedroom, Catherine mmed the door shut and angrily uttered, ¡°Who does she think she is acting in such an absurd manner?¡± Focusing on his sneaker, Rome tried to get his string untied. But then Catherine harshly said, ¡°Did you see the way she looked at you!¡± ¡°Uh?¡± Rome mumbled, pausing as he lifted his head. When he saw the anger in Catherine''s eyes, he calmly said, ¡°I didn''t notice the way she was looking at me because there''s only one woman that can catch my attention and that is you.¡± The anger in Catherine''s eyes slowly died down and she felt her face get hot as she tried not to smile. At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and although they tried to ignore it when Catherine heard her father call out her name, she sighed out her frustration. Then she walked over to the door, opened it, and nkly stared at him. ¡°You shoulde downstairs. We have a guest, and you know how your grandfather is when ites to keeping the family image in front of strangers.¡± Edward calmly said, knowing that he had to watch his tone because Catherine wasn''t the same as before, and the wrong word could trigger her to rebel. ¡°Father, Rome and I are exhausted, and all we want to do now is sleep,¡± Catherine said with less patience in her tone. ¡°Please,¡± ¡°Father, I¡­¡± ¡°I know you don''t care about what happens to you in this family, but your mother and I are still a part of this family. What happened to Elijah and Dana isn''t something I wish to see happen to both of us.¡± ¡°Dad,¡± ¡°Please, juste downstairs and behave like a member of this family. If you keep pushing your grandfather, you might just force his hands to act against us.¡± Seeing the look of fear in her father''s eyes, Catherine hesitated for a moment. Then she nced back at Rome before staring at her father. ¡°Don''t push your luck Catherine ande downstairs,¡± Edward calmly uttered before walking away from the door. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Against her better judgment, Catherine came downstairs along with Rome, and the instant they entered the dining room, theughing and the chatting ceased. Ignoring the hateful stares, Rome walked up to the table and pulled out a chair for Catherine. After she sat down, he took his seat, and at that moment, his gaze swayed to the right, and he saw Estelle gazing at him. Then she winked at him, and Rome felt like leaving the table at that exact moment. But the fact that Catherine was trying to obey her father, he didn''t want to ruin that for her, so he turned his attention to his te. ¡°So, Estelle, that''s your name, right?¡± Jeff rudely uttered with a carefree attitude. ¡°Jeff!¡± Anthony coldly said as he red at his son. Although he wasn''t happy about the entire dinner and the sudden attention Charles was getting, he didn''t want to belittle himself by showing any sign of jealousy. ¡°It''s fine.¡± Estelle gently said, ¡°Yes, that''s my name.¡± ¡°What do you see in Charles?¡± Jeff blurted out. Without any hesitation, Estelle boldly said, ¡°He''s good-looking.¡± Chuckling softly, Jeff looked at Charles, and then he said, ¡°If you do like him for his good looks, does that mean that any handsome man has a chance with you?¡± ¡°Jeff!¡± Mr. Barlow called out, striving to keep his tone calm, even though his anger was off the charts. ¡°What? It''s just a harmless question.¡± Jeff said with a half-smile. ¡°You can excuse yourself from the table!¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Frowning, Jeff stood from his seat, picked up his te of pasta, and walked away. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I swear, since I removed him from the inheritance list, he''s bing bolder than ever.¡± Mr. Barlow mumbled beneath his breath. Then he smiled at Estelle and said, ¡°I''m sorry, dear.¡± With calmness in her eyes, Estelle smiled and mumbled, ¡°It''s okay.¡± A few minutes went by, and everyone seemed to have let go of what Jeff had said, but not Catherine. Her woman instincts were telling her that Estelle meant trouble, and seeing how she had been staring at Rome, Catherine believed that Jeff might have been rude, but his words carried truth in it. After ten minutes had gone by, Rome¡¯s phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket. Seeing that it was his father, he stood from his seat, gazed down at Catherine, and said, ¡°I need to take this.¡± After she slightly nodded, he walked out of the dining room, heading out of the mansion. For a moment, Estelle gazed at Charles and frowned. Afterward, she looked down at her phone, strolled to her ringtone setting, clicked on a sound, and allowed it to y for a while. Then she looked at Charles, staring at her, and said, ¡°Excuse me.¡± Standing from her seat, Estelle identally gazed at Catherine. But she ignored Catherine''s icy stare and left the dining room. ¡°Dad, seriously. I don''t need to do a suit fitting together with you since Jerry already knows both of our measurements.¡± Rome said with his back turned to the front door. ¡°Well, if you weren''t so headstrong on keeping your identity a secret and not getting seen with me, I wouldn''t be looking for excuses to hang out with you.¡± Mr. Ford said from the other end of the line. ¡°The party is a few days from now.¡± ¡°Yes, but I''m going to be lonely until then. You see, life is a downer without your mother.¡± ¡°You are not manipting me again.¡± ¡°Okay, fine! That was worth the try. But how do you feel about attending a conf...¡± ¡°Bye, Fath¡­¡± A smile surfaced on Rome''s lip when he felt a soft feminine hand grabbed onto his arm. Then he turned around, and that smile instantly shifted to a scowled. ¡°Get your hand off me!¡± Rome coldly said as he gave Estelle an icy stare. ¡°Did you drink something strong? How can I touch you if we are miles apart? Wait! Are you speaking in metaphor!¡± Mr. Ford''s harsh voice echoed into Rome''s ear. Pulling his hand from Estelle''s grip, Rome sneered and said, ¡°Let me call you back.¡± After canceling the call, Rome gazed at Estelle and asked, ¡°What''s your name?¡± Toying with her hair, she simpered, looking him in the eyes, and said, ¡°Este¡­¡± ¡°I don''t care!¡± ¡°Rude.¡± Losing the cute appearance, Estelle''s expression hardened as she stared at Rome and said, ¡°Do you know how many men will die for my attention. You are just a no-good son-inw and you are acting up.¡± ¡°If you have so many people dying for your attention, then give it to them, and stay the hell away from me,¡± Rome said, walking past her. But Estelle grabbed his hand and said, ¡°A man like yourself with such an amazing physique is a trophy to treasure. Be mine and I will make the Barlows family envy the sand that your shoe touch.¡± Yanking his hand from her grip, Rome snickered and said, ¡°A woman like you is not worthy to be mine!¡± In anger, Estelle raised a hand to p him, but he grabbed her wrist, and said, ¡°Count yourself lucky that the man that raised me will kill me if he finds out I hit a woman.¡± The moment Rome let go of her wrist and turned around, his gaze rested on Catherine, and he froze. Without uttering a word to Rome, Catherine walked past him and approached Estelle. Seeing the anger in her eyes, Estelle gave a conceited smile. But before she could get the chance to react, Catherine smacked her hard in the cheek, and as she was about to utter a word, Catherinended another p in her ear. ¡°Don''t you know how to keep your hands off someone else''s man!¡± Catherine coldly said. ¡°What is wrong with you!¡± Estelle shouted, feeling too stunned to do a thing. ¡°What do you think you are doing hitting my girlfriend!¡± Charles shouted as he stormed towards them. When he reached his cousin, he shouted, ¡°Am I not speaking to a human! Did you be deaf a second ago! Or have you lost your damn mind!¡± Not thinking for a second, Rome rushed over to Charles and knocked him to the ground. Then Rome pressed his knee on Charles¡¯s back while pushing his head against the filthy grass as he violently pulling his hand behind his back. ¡°Didn''t you get my warning, or do you really want to be humiliated!¡± Rome coldly said with anger glowing in his eyes. Feeling his lips touching the dirt, Charles struggled to break loose, but his effort was meaningless. ¡°Rome,¡± Catherine mumbled when she heard Charles moan in pain. Although Rome was hesitant, he let go of Charles¡¯s arm. Then he stopped pressing his left knee on Charles''s back and stood up. Afterward, Rome took Catherine''s hand and led her back inside, carrying her straight to their room. When they got into their bedroom, Rome took a moment to calm his fast beating heart. Then he gazed at Catherine and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I''m worried about what my grandfather will do if he finds out what happened. We are screwed.¡± Catherine mumbled, covering her mouth with her shaking hand. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 For a long time Catherineid wide awake with her eyes closed. The event from yesterday night kept troubling her mind and each time she gazed at Rome, she was amazed and baffled at how he could sleep so soundly. After staring at him for a while, she sat up, rested her feet on the tiles, and buried her face in her palms. ¡°Can''t sleep?¡± Rome asked as he raised hisshes and gazed at her. Shocked by the sound of his voice, Catherine looked back. Then she tried to smile, but her lips rebelled against her, and she was left with a stiff expression. ¡°I don''t know¡­¡± Catherine muttered, pausing as she tried to figure out how she felt at that moment and how to express it. ¡°Don''t know what?¡± Rome calmly asked as he sat up. Then he yawned, and at that exact moment, there was a knock on the door. Seeing that Catherine was hesitant, Rome got off the bed, and headed to the door. After opening it, he gazed at the maid and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± A minute went by in silence. Then she said, ¡°Mr. Barlow is requesting you and Miss Catherine''s presence in the living room.¡± ¡°Tell him we will be down soon.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± When the maid walked away from the door, Rome closed it and gazed at Catherine. Then she suddenly stared back at him, softly smiled, and mumbled, ¡°It''s time to face the music.¡± A few minutester, Catherine and Rome came downstairs, and the instant they entered the living room, a frown immediately crossed her face. ¡°What is she doing here!¡± Catherine coldly uttered as she red at Estelle. Trying not to lose his grip on his anger, Mr. Barlow took a deep breath, and said, ¡°I was infuriatedst night, so I pleaded to Estelle for us to do this this morning because I want to be of sound mind to make my judgment.¡± Then he red at Catherine and said, ¡°So, I''m going to ask you this once. Did you pdy Estelle?¡± Without taking her icy gaze off Estelle, Catherine boldly replied, ¡°I did.¡± Even though she was trying to keep it together, the smirk on Estelle¡¯s face was making it harder for her to do so. ¡°Catherine, this is not like you!¡± Edward said, shocked by his daughter''s response. ¡°Right. What has gotten into you?¡± Catherine''s mother asked with a frown. Swaying her attention away from Estelle, Catherine stared at her parents, and straightforwardly inquired, ¡°Did you ask her why I pped her?¡± The response she gave sent Madam Rosey¡¯s anger off the charts and she shouted, ¡°Whatever stupid reason is there, you shouldn''t haveid a hand on such an important guest!¡± N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°Then she should have kept her hands off my husband, and maybe, I would have kept my hands to myself.¡± Catherine blurted out in a fit of rage, and even though she didn''t mean to say it out loud, she wasn''t nning on taking those words back. ¡°It''s about your worthless husband again! Child, do you not know that some things are not worth fighting for, especially a thing that is of no value!¡± ¡°Grandma,¡± With a touch of hurt in her eyes, Catherine scowled at Madam Rosey. Then she stared at Rome to see if he was affected by her grandmother¡¯s remark, but his face bore no expression, and she couldn''t tell what he was thinking or how he felt. Taking in another deep breath, Mr. Barlow frowned and firmly said, ¡°Apologize to Estelle for your assault on her.¡± ¡°What!¡± Catherine shouted in anger. ¡°You should be happy that Estelle is generous, and she''s not going to keepst night''s event at heart if you apologize.¡± ¡°What?¡± With his eyes fixed on Rome, Charles scowled and mockingly intoned, ¡°And her husband can also plead for my forgiveness, and I might reconsider not locking him up for what he did to mest night.¡± ¡°That''s not going to happen.¡± Rome casually said. Filled with hate, Charles was about to speak ill of Rome when Catherine interrupted him and said, ¡°Yeah, I''m not apologizing to her either. She got what she deserved, and I don''t feel remorseful for what I did.¡± Both of their replies left Mr. Barlow, Estelle, Charles, Madam Rosey, Edward, and his wife stunned and speechless. It became quiet for a while since everyone in the room maintained their silence. ¡°I really didn''t want to do this, but you have forced my hands!¡± Mr. Barlow uttered with anger burning in his eyes. Knowing that his daughter had pushed her luck too far, Edward sighed out his frustration, fearing the words that his father was about to say next. ¡°Choose this family by apologizing to Estelle or rebel along with your husband and bear the consequences.¡± Mr Barlow said with no patience in his tone. ¡°That''s not fair.¡± Catherine calmly intoned, striving to suppress her anger. ¡°Catherine, this is thest time I''m going to say this! It''s either Rome or this family, choose!¡± ¡°I did nothing wrong.¡± Shutting his eyes for a moment, Mr. Barlow deeply inhaled. Then he stood to his feet and said, ¡°Catherine¡¯s name has been removed from the inheritance list!¡± ¡°Grandfather!¡± Catherine harshly uttered, lowering her brows. ¡°Your name will be ced back after your divorce with Rome is legal. Till you can leave him, your name stays off the list. My words are final!¡± ¡°What!¡± Seeing that Mr. Barlow was serious, Rome was ready to blurt out his identity and forget about everything else. But then Catherine shouted, ¡°Does my hard work not count anymore. Why does my position as the family top inheritor have to be secure by a man! If that''s the case, I don''t want it!¡± Not wanting to let them see her tears, Catherine turned around and ran out of the living room. ¡®I can''t believe that she gave it all up for a loser. What a fool!¡¯ Charles thought with a slight smirk on his lips. Staring at her husband, Catherine¡¯s mother sadly shook her head and said, ¡°I knew her marrying Rome was a mistake from the very beginning.¡± ¡°This can''t be happening.¡± Edward mumbled, feeling a tightness in his chest. With his gaze fixed on Rome, Mr. Barlow stood from his seat and walked over to him. Then he stopped and said, ¡°This is all your fault.¡± ¡°We both know that''s not true.¡± Rome uttered, keeping his cold gaze on Mr. Barlow''s eyes. Then he turned away from him and headed out of the living room. When Rome got to their bedroom door, he turned the knob and realized that the door was locked. ¡°I want to be alone, please.¡± Catherine said from under theforter. ¡°Okay, I''m not going to force you to talk. But can you open the door so I can get my phone and wallets?¡± Rome calmly intoned. There was a long pause. Then he heard the knob turn, and the door opened a few secondster. Staring at Rome, Catherine pouted, took his hand and ced his phone and wallet on his palm before saying, ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don''t want to cuddle and talk about this, or we can go out to ¡®Sweets and pie¡¯ and eat what we want?¡± Rome softly asked without taking his eyes off her. After staring at him for a while, Catherine sniffed before closing the door slowly in his face. Then she leaned against its wooden surface, wept her tears, and said, ¡°Babe,¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Rome mumbled, resting his palm t on the door. ¡°You know I love you right.¡± ¡°Mm, I know.¡± ¡°That''s not going to change. I just want to be alone right now.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± For a while, Rome stood at the door, wondering about his next move. Then a thought crossed his mind, and he turned away from the door and headed down the hallway. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 The cab came to a stop in front of a huge fence, and Rome stepped down from the vehicle after paying the driver. Then he walked over to the fence, rang the bell, and faced the camera. When the light beamed from in the scanner, it shed against his left eye for a few seconds, and then it went off. It took a matter of seconds for the gate to open, and Rome headed inside. After walking a few distances into the yard, he saw a golf cart approaching him so he stopped and waited. ¡°Good morning, young master,¡± Butler Hobson said as he brought the golf cart to a stopped near Rome. After getting into it, Rome nced at Butler Hobson before turning his focus ahead of him and saying, "Morning," Ten minutester, Butler Hobson stepped on the brake pedal. The moment the golf cart ceased movement, Rome got down and headed into the mansion. ¡°Where is my father?¡± He asked one of the maids. ¡°Master is in his bedroom.¡± She humbly replied. Without any hesitation, Rome ran upstairs, and after walking for while, he came to a stop in front of a huge door. Suddenly, it automatically opened, and he headed inside. Then he stood still as he stared at his father. ¡°What happened?¡± Mr. Ford asked when he noticed the rage in his son''s eyes. ¡°Morning, father,¡± Rome said, walking over to the king-size bed. Then he sat on the mattress and gazed at Mr. Ford without talking. Seeing the disturbed look on Rome''s face, Mr. Ford firmly intoned, ¡°What have the Barlows done!¡± ¡°Father,¡± Rome mumbled, striving to calm down the rage consuming him from inside. ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°How about you take Catherine under your wing in the business circle? If she have a backing like you, her family wouldn''t dare bully her.¡± ¡°What, they bully my daughter-inw! Give me a name, and I will have them on their knees and at her mercy in just a day." ¡°I can handle the Barlow, I just need Catherine secure and standing firm in that house.¡± The was a long paused. Then Mr. Barlow sighed and asked, ¡°Are they still forcing her to get marry to someone wealthy?¡± A look of shock crossed Rome¡¯s face, but within a second, he wasn''t surprised that his father knew things he wasn''t supposed to know. ¡°Yes,¡± Rome said, clutching his fist. ¡°You know you can bring that to a stop by telling them who you are, right?¡± Mr. Barlow calmly intoned. ¡°Mmm, I know. But Catherine wouldn''t be happy knowing that she got to such a position because of her husband and not her hard work.¡± ¡°Rome,¡± ¡°I don''t want to have her doubting herself and her capability because of me. She''s amazing with or without me, and if her family could just allow her to be great, she would fly high!¡± The anger he had been holding in was slowly slipping out of his grip the more he talked about the Barlows, and his thirst to make them pay was bing stronger. ¡°I can''t be of much help with my current status in that household. That''s why I need you to intervene.¡± Rome mumbled as he unclenched his hand. Silence fell between them. Then a beaming smile surfaced on Mr. Barlow''s face as he asked, ¡°So you are giving me your permission to hang out with my daughter-inw?¡± Because of the look of joy in his father''s eyes, Rome¡¯s anger started fading slowly, and he said, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Mr. Ford excitedly uttered. ¡°Father, what are you up to?¡± ¡°Well, I was about to ask you to go to this grand business conference with me. But now, I don''t need you. I am going to ask my daughter-inw instead!¡± A sense of relief swept through Rome as he faintly grinned at his father. Then he stood to his feet and said, ¡°I got to get back to the mansion. I don''t want Catherine to be alone for too long with her current state.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Mr. Barlow said with a slight smile. After staring at his father for a moment, Rome turned to leave. Then he stopped, turned back, and asked, ¡°Can you cklist DBA INC. in the business circle. I could do it, but it will be a bit of work.¡± ¡°Sure, I will make a few calls today. By next week, DBA will make headlines.¡± Mr. Ford said with a please expression on his face. Turning away from his father, Rome smirked and thought, ¡®Good. Then next week, I will strike.'' After Rome left, it took a few minutes, then a maid walked into the room and stood still with her eyes fixed on Mr. Ford. ¡°Master, you sent for me?¡± She asked, slightly bowing her head. ¡°I won''t be having dinner here, so tell the kitchen staff to not prepare anything for me tonight.¡± A few hourster, Rome arrived back at the Barlow mansion, and as he headed inside, he met Catherine''s mother in the hallway. When their eyes locked, she scowled and walked up to Rome. Then she stopped a step away from him and said, ¡°Why can''t you leave my daughter alone?¡± Not wanting to offend her, Rome kept his silence, even though he was angyy. But that only seem to enrage her, and she raised her voice and said, ¡°I know how it feels to be the outcast of a family because of your background! But¡­¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why did you stay married to Edward?¡± Rome humbly asked. ¡°Because¡­¡± ¡°You loved him so you endured it all, right?¡± A got silent. Then Catherine¡¯s mother sighed and said, ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°Will you make a different decision if the chance was given to you to start over again?¡± Rome asked without taking his eyes off her. ¡°No,¡± ¡°Then don''t ask me to stay away from your daughter. You wouldn''t be acting fair to us." For a moment, Rome stared at Catherine''s mother. Then he walked past her and headed upstairs. When Rome got to their bedroom door, he turned the knob and felt relieved that it wasn''tck. After pushing the door open, he walked into the room and saw that Catherine was asleep. So he took off his shoe andid down on the bed, beside her. For a moment, he stared at Catherine. Then he closed his eyelids, and at that instant, he felt the bed move and a weight upon his chest. Without opening his eyes, he wrapped Catherine in his arms and smiled. The daylight when by naturally, and by eight o''clock, members of the Barlow family came into the dining hall, except for Catherine and Rome. However, when everyone had taken their seat, both of them walked into the room, and even though they got a few stares, the two of them took their seats at the table. Smiling, Jeff pulled some wine into his ss, picked it up from the table, and mockingly said, ¡°I want to raise a toast to Catherine for joining us that have been removed from the inheritance list. How does it feel to be on the other side?¡± Ignoring her cousin''s remark, Catherine reached for her fork, and at that moment, a maid came rushing into the dining room. ¡°Sir, we have a guest!¡± She said with fear in her eyes. In a fit of anger, Mr. Barlowshed out, ¡°Who could be so rude and less busy to visit someone''s house at such an hour! Don''t they know when to show up at other''s homes!¡± ¡°That will be me.¡± Mr. Ford said as he stepped into the dining room with four of his bodyguards following closely behind him. The entire room fell silent, and Rome''s fork slipped out of his hand and down onto his te as he stared at his father. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 It took a while for everyone to get over their shock, and when Mr. Barlow did, he immediately stood to his feet and said, ¡°I''m sorry. Those words were said out of ignorance.¡± Without mentioning a word to him, Mr. Ford looked at Catherine and calmly intoned, ¡°I called your office, and you weren''t there. Since what I have to say is important, I decided to stop by. I hope it''s not a problem.¡± Waking from her shock, Catherine slightly shook her head and uttered, ¡°Of course not.¡± When Mrs. Barlow snapped back to reality, she stared at the maid and said, ¡°What are you standing around here for! Tell everyone in the kitchen that we have an extremely important guest and they should prepare a few more dishes.¡± Afterward, she looked at Mr. Ford and gently intoned, ¡°I hope you can grace this family by having dinner with us.¡± Swaying his focus off Madam Rosey, Mr. Ford stared at Rome, and even though he shook his head to signal his father not to stay, Mr. Ford replied, ¡°Of course.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Then he walked over to the table, pulled himself a chair, and sat down. It was quiet for a while. Then Catherine softly smiled and calmly asked, ¡°What do you have to tell me?¡± Her questions drew everyone''s attention to Mr. Ford, except Rome since he was trying to make less interaction with his father to avoid any awkwardness. ¡°There''s an international conference being held here, and I was hoping you could attend with me.¡± Mr. Ford said, eyeing his son. Excitement immediately glowed in Mr. Barlow¡¯s eyes because he knew that his granddaughter had just gotten invited to one of the most prestigious conferences that happen once in three years. Feeling honor and confused at the same time, Catherine unintentionally mumbled, ¡°Why me?¡± The happiness in Mr. Barlow''s eyes shifted to anger because he expected Catherine to agree without any hesitation. ¡°I have seen how hardworking and dedicated you are to your job, and I admire youngsters who have passions for what they do. This conference will do me no good since I''m already at the top.¡± Mr. Ford said, focusing on Catherine. Then he smiled at her and said, ¡°But if you attend, it might help to expand yourwork in the business world if you interact with the right people, and you might just get your name out there if you get involved in the right conversation.¡± Glowing with joy, Catherine reached for Rome''s hand, entangled her fingers with his, and squeezed his hand as she tried not to scream. Finally, Rome lifted his head and slightly smiled at his father before focusing on Catherine''s gentle eyes. As she looked solely at him, her smile widened, and she silently giggled. ¡®Now that''s pure love right there. I''m proud of you, son. You chose the right one.¡¯ Mr. Ford thought with his gaze on Catherine and Rome. Feeling impatient and fed-up with his granddaughter''s silence, Mr. Barlow said, ¡°Of course, Mr. Ford. Catherine will be honor to go to this conference.¡± As anger clouded his eyes, Mr. Ford stared at him and said, ¡°I don''t remember your name being, ¡®Catherine.¡± A look of embarrassment crossed Mr. Barlow¡¯s face as he awkwardly smiled and mumbled, ¡°Of course not. I apologize for meddling in something that doesn''t involve me.¡± Narrowing his eyes at him, Mr. Ford frowned. Then he focused back on Catherine and Rome, and his frown shifted to a smile. Noticing the change in Mr. Ford''s expression, Mr. Barlow thought, ¡®The only Barlow Mr. Ford does care about is Catherine, and it seems like he has taken a liking to her work.¡¯ Then he stared at his granddaughter and thought, ¡®If you have grabbed Mr. Ford''s attention, it''s worth more than you marrying a wealthy man because you can bring way more glory to this family with just a word from him.¡¯ Noticing the way his grandfather was staring at Catherine, Charles felt his anger rising. But he kept it in because he knew his grandfather would not take lightly to anyone who ruin the family image before Mr. Ford, and he wasn''t the only one who felt that way. With his gaze on his father, William could feel his hope of Charles bing the family top inheritor slowly fading. Although Anthony was d to see the look of despair in Charles¡¯ eye, he too hated the fact that Catherine was effortlesslying back to the spotlight. The person who hated what was happening more than anyone else was Jeff, but not even he had the guts to say something in Mr. Ford''s presence. After getting over her excitement, Catherine looked at Mr. Ford and said, ¡°It will be my honor to apanying you to the conference.¡± ¡°Good. I look forward to next week then.¡± Mr. Ford said, smiling at her before swaying his gaze to Rome. At that moment, the maids entered the room, and one after the other, the set tes of food before Mr. Ford. Staring at the dishes, Rome shook his head, knowing that that would be the same manner they would treat him if they only knew who he was and it made him feel even more disgusted with them. Dinner was peaceful, and no one other than Mr. Ford and Catherine spoke since he kept making small conversation with her. A few minutester, when Mr. Ford gazed at his watch and saw that it was ten o''clock, he gentlyid down his fork along with the knife, stood to his feet, and said, ¡°I should take my leave.¡± Then he gazed at Catherine and sincerely uttered, ¡°Thank you for the work you have done so far on my project, and out of gratitude, if you ever need my help, don''t feel shy to ask.¡± ¡°I understand, and thank you too,¡± Catherine said, feeling like she was dreaming since she felt like the moment was too wonderful to be reality. Staring away from Catherine, Mr. Ford nced at Rome. Then he walked away from the table and left the dining room with his bodyguards following closely behind him. No one spoke for a while. Then Mr. Barlow stared at Catherine, smiled, and said, ¡°You were right.¡± Feeling confused, Catherine gazed at him and asked, ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Your work should speak for you and not who you are with. That''s why I''m revoking my remark from this morning.¡± ¡°What?¡± A sense of shock overcame Madam Rosey as she stared wide-eyed at her husband since it was very rare of him to go back on his words. ¡°You must be kidding me!¡± Jeff shouted, standing to his feet. ¡°Sit down!¡± Mr. Barlowshed out. ¡°She gets a p on the wrist for her misdeeds, while we remain punished!¡± ¡°You burned a warehouse worth millions of dors, and she p someone in the face. Do you think I''m being unfair here!¡± Unable to answer his grandfather''s question, Jeff stormed out of the dining hall. Suppressing his anger, Anthony calmly said, ¡°Father, I think what my son is trying to say is that, Catherine didn''t just p anyone. She hitdy Estelle, the fourth richest person in the country¡­¡± ¡°And she just got invited to a conference with the first wealthiest man in the country.¡± ¡°But father¡­¡± ¡°Catherine had redeemed herself and has proving herself to bepetent, time in and time out. It''s time she gets the credit she deserves.¡± Finally realizing that his father''s mind was made up, Anthony stared at Madam Rosey, but she had nothing to say. With a smile on his face, Mr. Barlow stared at his granddaughter and said, ¡°Your name is back on the inheritance list.¡± Then he stood to his feet and firmly stated, ¡°I feel like I''m close to being ready to announce the family top inheritor. So I want all things positive from the three of you from now on.¡± Chapter 102 Chapter 102 The days went by naturally, and on Saturday, Rome left the Barlow mansion early that morning even before Catherine could wake up. By seven-fifteen, Mr. Ondo drove the vehicle into the yard, and when he turned off the engine, Rome got out and headed inside. It took him a while, but he finally arrived in the living room. Then he walked over to the couch, sat down, and said, ¡°Good morning, Father.¡± ¡°You are early.¡± Mr. Ford mumbled, closing his newspaper. Staring at his watch, Rome sighed and said, ¡°I know. But if I had waited for the actual meet-up time, I would have to lie to Catherine. So I left a note instead.¡± There was a brief moment of silence. Then Mr. Ford rested his newspaper on the couch as he stood up and said ¡°Well since you are here. How about breakfast?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Rome mumbled, standing to his feet. When the daylight had faded a bit at five o''clock, Romey in bed, in this huge majestic room that his father had spent a lot of money on interior designs, even though he wasn''t using it. The silence in his room was suddenly disrupted by a buzzing noise, and Rome picked up his phone. Then he stared at the message on his screen, ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Smiling with his eyes, Rome text Catherine back, ¡°Yes. Have you?¡± At that moment his door opened, and Butler Hobson walked inside. Then he gazed at Rome and said, ¡°Young master, I got your suit.¡± ¡°You can put it on the rack,¡± Rome mumbled with his focus on his phone as he typed. ¡°Your father said that I should remind you that both of you leave by six.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± After Butler Hobson had left the room, Rome looked at the ck and gold three-piece suit and smiled slightly before putting his attention back to his screen. The sky had darkened a bit by six o''clock, and when Rome came downstairs, Mr. Ford was already awaiting him at the bottom of the stairs. Then both father and son left the mansion and got into a ck limousine. ¡°Good afternoon Master and young master. Are we ready to leave?¡± Mr. Ondo said with his gaze fixed on the V-mirror. ¡°Drive,¡± Mr. Fordmanded. Without any hesitation, Mr. Ondo put the limousine in gear and drove off with five SUVs driving closely behind them. At seven-fifty, the vehicles came to a stop, and the doors to the SUVs opened. Several men, wearing ck suits, got down and rushed over to the limousine, and one of them opened its door. The first person to get out was Rome, and then Mr. Ford stepped down from the vehicle. ¡°That''s a huge yacht,¡± Rome mumbled, gazing straight ahead of him. ¡°Well, if you like it, you can get one bigger than that.¡± Mr. Ford said, feeling a bit annoyed that his son wasn''t spending his money like he wanted him to. ¡°What would I do with a yacht?¡± ¡°Whatever everyone else does.¡± Giggling faintly, Rome stared at his father and gave him a you-are-unbelievable look. Then Mr. Ford smirked and said, ¡°Are you ready to head in?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Rome mumbled, letting out a harsh breath. A few minutester, Mr. Ford and Rome got on the yacht, and even though for a brief while, Rome felt nervous, he quickly blended in. Everything was going smoothly, and Rome was having the time of his life until his eyes caught a glimpse of someone he didn''t like. For a moment, he stared atdy Estelle. Then he hastily turned around when she looked his way, causing her to not see him. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Mr. Ford mumbled, noticing the change in his son''s mood. ¡°Thedy in the red dress with the gold ne is Charles¡¯ girlfriend,¡± Rome whispered with his back still turned to her. ¡°Are you talking about Estelle?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± A chuckle escaped Mr. Ford''s lips as he said, ¡°Well, Stony would be piss if he hears that.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Stony?¡± Rome asked, feeling a bit lost. ¡°The older gentleman whose arm she is clutching on to. He''s also the host of this party and her husband.¡± ¡°What!¡± The raise in Rome''s tone caused others attention to get drawn to him, so Mr. Barlow put his arm around his shoulder and said, ¡°Walk with me, son." Without any hesitation, Rome obediently followed his father, and both of them strolled for a while before Mr. Ford stood still and gazed at the water. ¡°Estelle is married?¡± Rome asked as his brows pulled together in a frown. ¡°Yes. But it''s a secret marriage because of the age gap between them, and also, it''s what Estelle wants.¡± ¡°It''s not strange that she would want to hide that.¡± ¡°Stony wanted to make their marriage public. But whatever Estelle desire, Stony gives. She has his aging mind wrapped around her fingers. That''s why she''s the fourth richest person in the country because her husband is the third.¡± For a moment, Rome didn''t speak. Instead, he listened to the melody from the music ying. Then he turned his focus to where Estelle was standing and saw that Mr. Stony was by himself. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°How angry do you think he would get if he knew about her and Charles'' so-called rtionship?¡± Rome mumbled with a smirk. ¡°Very angry. Stony is crazy jealous. Although he doesn''t do anything to Estelle, thest young fellow he caught her with is still in the hospital, and countless others suffered terrible fate by his hands.¡± Mr. Ford said, staring at the mischievous look in his son¡¯s eyes. ¡°Good,¡± ¡°What are you up to?¡± ¡°I''m going to greet the host.¡± ¡°Let''s go together since I haven''t introduced you to him yet.¡± ¡°There''s no need.¡± After walking away from Mr. Ford, Rome approached Mr. Stony. Then he smiled and said, ¡°Hey. You must be Estelle¡¯s father. I just one to say, it''s lovely to meet the dad of my cousin-inw''s girlfriend.¡± ¡°Whose girlfriend!¡± Mr. Stony harshly uttered with a spike of anger in his eyes. ¡°Charles Barlow. He''s dating your daughter. Didn''t you know?¡± ¡°Estelle is not my daughter, she''s my wife!¡± Seeing how enraged Mr. Stony was, Rome felt satisfied with himself. Then he cunningly said, ¡°I''m sorry. I thought¡­¡± ¡°Save your sorry for your cousin-inw because he will need to hear that word when I''m done with him!¡± Mr. Stony said, striving not to lose his temper in front of his guest. Without uttering a word, Rome walked away, and he had only taken a few steps when Estelle approached Mr. Stony. ¡°Honey, sorry that I took so long. Thedy''s room was a bit crowded.¡± Estelle said, grabbing onto his arm. But Mr. Stony pulled his hand from her grip and asked, ¡°Are you seeing Charles?¡± With a look of fear in her eyes, Estelle nervously asked, ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Don''t y dumb with me! You know who I''m talking about. Charles Barlow!¡± Mr. Stony coldly stated as a sense of anger raised in him. ¡°Honey¡­¡± ¡°I swear if you lie to me, I will do the unthinkable! So choose your words wisely!¡± Feeling desperate, Estelle hugged Stony¡¯s arm and cried out, ¡°Yes, but he''s just a toyboy. It''s you that I love!¡± ¡°He''s like every other good-looking fool you ever cheated on me with, is that what you are telling me!¡± ¡°Yes, I swear. You are the only man who holds a ce in my heart!¡± ¡°Good.¡± Knowing what her husband was capable of, Estelle swallowed hard and softly asked, ¡°What are you going to do to him?¡± ¡°Ask me that question again, and I will double his punishment.¡± Mr. Stony angrily said before pushing her hand off him and storming off. A smirk surfaced on Rome''s lips as he thought, ¡®Perfect.¡¯ Then he walked back to his father, and when he was a step away from him, Mr. Ford asked, ¡°What did you say to Stony? He looked like he''s about to kill someone.¡± ¡°I told him the truth. Now, all have to do is wait and see how he use the information to my advantage.¡± Rome calmly said, taking a ss of wine off the tray as the waiter walked past him. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Early Monday morning, the Barlow mansion was peaceful, and Mr. Barlow was seated in the living room waiting for the maids to get done with breakfast. A few seconds when by in silence. Then Mr. Barlow''s phone began to buzzed and he picked it off the couch. Realizing that it was one of Charles¡¯ clients, Mr. Barlow answered the call. Before he could have the chance to speak, an angry male voice echoed into his ear, ¡°I want to cancel my contract with your grandson!¡± ¡°Wait, What! Why?¡± Mr. Barlow asked, sitting up straight. ¡°Your grandson has no moral!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Haven''t you seen the news! Anyways, I want my contract terminated!¡± Without replying, Mr. Barlow ended the call. Then he scrolled through his news feed, and his anger spiked immediately. ¡°Where is Charles!¡± Mr. Barlow screamed, hastily standing to his feet. The sound of Rome''s ringtone made him open his eyes, although he had been awake for a while. When he got a hold of his phone, he answered the call, and said, ¡°Morning, Dad.¡± ¡°Checked the news. I kept my word.¡± Mr. Ford said from the other end of the line. ¡°Uh?¡± ¡°Just check your newsletter and thank meter.¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. After his father ended the call, Rome took a moment to fully awaken before going through his phone. At first, he looked please by the news that DBA INC. was suddenly losing clients fast than a tree in autumn, and shareholders were marketing their shares at an extremely low price. However, when he saw the second news headline, Rome couldn''t hold back his desire to smile. ¡°What are you excited about?¡± Catherine asked, as she dizzily stared at him grinning ¡°Umm, I just have a good feeling that this week is going to be pleasant,¡± Rome said, feeling a sense of relief. With a hint of fear mixed with confusion in his expression, Charles walked into the living room, and the cold stare his grandfather gave him wasn''t helping his anxiety. At that moment, Madam Rosey came into the living room, and when she read the atmosphere between Mr. Barlow and his grandson, she couldn''t help asking, ¡°Honey, what''s the matter?¡± However, in that instant, Anthony walked into the room with his wife alongside him, and seeing the anger in his father''s eyes, he gazed at his mother and asked, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± With a frown stered on her face, Madam Rosey mumbled, ¡°That''s what I''m want to find ou¡­¡± Pausing, Madam Rosey watched as William walked into the room, and a few distances behind him was his wife. When William saw how stress his son looked, he asked, ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°I don''t know,¡± Charles mumbled, staring at his grandfather. A few secondster, Jeff walked into the room with Richard following closely beside him. When Jeff and Charles''s eyes met, he burst into a mythlessugh and then cunningly said, ¡°I didn''t know you dig married women.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Charles asked in annoyance. Finally getting a grip on his anger, Mr. Barlow scowled andshed out, ¡°Whose wife are you in a rtionship with!¡± ¡°What?¡± Charles mumbled with a frown. ¡°Don''t y stupid with me. There''s a whole article on how you are involve with a married client, and how because of you, her marriage is now ruined and her husband had a heart attack after finding out the truth!¡± ¡°What!¡± Trying not to burst into anotherugh, Jeff said, ¡°It''s even said that he is in a critical condition and is fighting for his dear life!¡± ¡°Uh?¡± Charles mumbled, striving to get over his shock. At this point, he was struggling to figure which one of his girlfriends could the media be talking about. Then he realized that all the other girls he was in a rtionship with were not his client of his except¡­ ¡°Estelle!¡± Charles shouted, clutching his fists. Furrowing her brow, Madam Rosey red at her grandson and asked, ¡°Lady Estelle is married?¡± With his gaze focused on the floor, Charles mumbled, ¡°I don''t know. But she is the only one who¡­¡± ¡°You fool! Do you know what your reckless act have caused us!¡± Mr. Barlow shouted in a fit of rage. ¡°Grandfather, I swear to you that I didn''t know that she was married.¡± ¡°Does that change the fact that every single one of your client''s ones to cancel their contracts with you!¡± ¡°What! But¡­¡± Resting his forehead against his palm, Mr. Barlow sighed and firmly uttered, ¡°I said that I wanted all things positive from you three! Didn''t you understand those words!¡± A sense of fear coursed through William when he realized where the conversation was heading. In an effort to ease the tension in the room, he pleadingly gazed at Mr. Barlow and said, ¡°Father, I know that this looks bad¡­¡± ¡°It''s doesn''t looks, it is bad!¡± Mr. Barlow shouted, throwing his hand in the air. ¡°I understand. But this can''t be Charles''s fault since he didn''t know that Estelle was married.¡± ¡°So who''s a fault it is!¡± ¡°No. It''s Estelle. That''s why we are going to use the information that Charles didn''t know she was married to our advantage and inform the media today since the news is still fresh.¡± A was a brief moment of silence. Then Mr. Barlow sighed and said, ¡°That''s not a terrible idea. I will get E on the line and tell her to schedule a conference with the press.¡± ¡°Thank you, grandfather,¡± Charles mumbled, feeling his rapid heartbeat slowly decreasing. ¡°Don''t thank me just yet because if this goes south, you are on your own!¡± ¡°Grandpa.¡± Ignoring his grandson, Mr. Barlow when through his call log for a minute, and then he called his secretary number. When E answered, Mr. Barlow, said, ¡°I need you to schedule a press conference for five o''clock today.¡± ¡°Okay, Boss,¡± E¡¯s voice echoed into his ears before he could end the call. A few minutes went by in awkward silence. Then Mr. Barlow got a message from E. For a moment, he stared at the screen, and afterward, he gazed at his grandson and said, ¡°All big media tforms are going to be there, so make your story convincing, so the public can take pity on you, or else everything will blow up in our faces.¡± Nodding slightly, Charles moved his lips to speak. But then he froze when the maid walked in with a built fellow beside her and multiple men in ck suits following behind him. ¡°Mr. Stony?¡± Mr. Barlow mumbled out loud with a look of confusion in his eyes. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Staring coldly at everyone¡¯s faces in the living room, Mr. Stony clutched his fist and harshly inquired, ¡°Who is Charles Barlow?¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Charles asked as he red at Mr. Stony. ¡°Are you him?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± In shock, the rest of the family watched as Mr. Stony charged at Charles, grabbed him by the neck, and body-mmed him to the floor. ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± William shouted as he watched Mr. Stony¡¯s fist mmed into his son¡¯s left cheek. Then he tried to rush over to them, but Mr. Stony''s bodyguards shot him a warning look, causing William to stop in his tracks. With tears in her eyes, William¡¯s wife clutched onto his arm and cried, ¡°Honey, do something.¡± But he was too much of a coward to do anything, and his feet felt frozen to the floor as he watched as his son got beat up. ¡°You are the punk that my wife is cheating on me with!¡± Mr. Stony angrily intoned beforending another vicious punch on Charles¡¯ face. Everyone was shocked to learn that he was Estelle¡¯s husband since the article stated that he was in the hospital and fighting to survive. In a fit of rage, Charles struggled to get his hands beneath Mr. Stony¡¯s chest. Then he forcefully pushed him off him and hastily stood to his feet. It took a moment for Mr. Stony to get off the floor, and when he finally got back on his feet, he stared at Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. his bodyguards, knowing that they were waiting on his order to beat up Charles. However, he didn''t utter a word since he felt calmer after unleashing his anger on Charles. ¡°You are the one behind the article?¡± Mr. Barlow asked, realizing that things had be more ¡°Yes,¡± Mr. Stony casually said as he wiped his hand with a handkerchief. Out of anger, Charles sneered and shouted, ¡°Do you know what your lies have cost me!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Mr. Barlowshed out as he red at his grandson. Although Charles felt more enraged by his grandfather¡¯s remark, he could see fear in his eyes and he knew that something wasn''t right, so he kept silent. Staring away from Charles, Mr. Barlow gazed at Stony and pleadingly said, ¡°I am sorry for my grandson''s ignorance. He''s still a¡­¡± ¡°I don''t care about your apologies, Franco! Your grandson decided to get involved with my wife even though there''s a, ¡®No rtionship with clients policy¡¯ at yourpany! Why?¡± Mr. Stony calmly uttered, and yet his tone was cold. The answer to his question was something Mr. Barlow knew not to say, so he kept quiet, and lowered his head. ¡°You so-called rich folks are always trying to leech off us wealthy people. That''s why you were okay with your grandson breaking yourpany rules because Estelle is loaded with money. Am I right?¡± Mr. Stony shouted as he glowered at Mr. Barlow. Then he turned his focus on Charles and coldly uttered, ¡° Estelle¡¯s money is mine money, and that so- called one hundred million dor project is also being funded with mine cash!¡± Hearing those words, the reality of his situation suddenly became clear to Charles and he finally understood that he was about to sink faster than someone caught in a quicksand. ¡°Mr. Stony, I didn''t know Estelle was your wife. I swear!¡± Charles humbly intoned, striving to suppress his pride. ¡°Read my lips.¡± Mr. Stony coldly said, ¡°I don''t care!¡± A look of shock crossed Charles'' face, and yet he kept silent, seeing how coldly Mr. Stony was staring at him. After ring at Charles for a while, he turned his focus on Mr. Barlow and said, ¡°Your grandson is on my hate list, and that news is just half of the punishment that I have in-store for him. Attempt to do something about it, and I will rain terror on DreamTeam INC!¡± Then he tossed his stained handkerchief to the ground and said, ¡°Don''t test my patients because I''m not the guy you would want to mess with!¡± None of the Barlow spoke as they watched Mr. Stony walked out of the living room with his bodyguards. It took a few minutes for everyone toe to the realization of what had just happened, and when Mr. Barlow did, he tightened his fist as he tried not to lose control of his rage. ¡°How much chaos and disgrace are you all going to bring to this family!¡± Mr. Barlow roared as his anger broke loose. At that moment, Catherine walked into the living room, fully dressed for work. Then she froze when she saw the bruises on Charles¡¯ face. Afterward, she stared at her grandfather¡¯s mad eyes, and for a well-known reason, she didn''t ask any questions. ¡°Grandfather, I can fix this! Give me a chance to do so, please!¡± Charles desperately cried. ¡°There''s no fixing anything! Stony is not a man to cross. You can''t be a part of DreamTeam. I will have to fire you!¡± Mr. Barlow said, a bit calmer this time. Those words left Charles dumbfounded for a moment. Then he slightly shook his head and mumbled, ¡°Give me a second chance.¡± ¡°With an enemy like Stony, I don''t trust you with thepany and the family wealth.¡± Mr. Barlow firmly uttered. ¡°Grandfather!¡± ¡°You are not on the listing for the family top inheritor, and you will never be. I can''t take such a risk!¡± Feeling a sense of anger overwhelming him, William shouted, ¡°Father, you can''t do this!¡± ¡°I just did, and my words are final.¡± Mr. Barlow straightforwardly intoned without any hesitation. Even though he heard those words, Rome''s face bore no expression as he walked into the living room and stood beside Catherine. But unlike him, the others seem rather shocked by Charles'' sudden downfall. ¡®So it is just Catherine, and me now?¡¯ Richard thought with a touch of uncertainty in his eyes. ¡°I should get to the office, and see what I can do to calm the situation down.¡± Mr. Barlow said, taking a deep breath. ¡°What about the press conference?¡± Madam Rosey asked with a worried expression. ¡°I will get E to cancel it.¡± ¡°Will that work?¡± ¡°I don''t know. But if it doesn''t, we can figure out something.¡± With anger pumping through his veins, Charles stormed out of the living room. It didn''t take long after he left, for the others to leave too, except for Catherine and Rome. There was silence in the room for a while. Then Catherine looked at Rome and said, ¡°I don''t understand.¡± ¡°Understand what?¡± Rome calmly asked. There was a long pause. Then Catherine frowned with her eyes fixed on his and said, ¡°What''s going on? It''s like everything is falling apart for everyone else in my family, except for me. It doesn''t make sense.¡± Chapter 105 Chapter 105 There was a moment of hesitation as Rome gazed at Catherine. Then he second-guessed his words for a brief while before saying, ¡°Jeff burned down your family warehouse, Charles got involved with someone''s wife, Elijah betray your grandfather, and Chloe, well she messed with Mr. Ford. What have you done?¡± ¡°Uh?¡± Catherine asked, raising a brow. ¡°What wrong have you done?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Feeling a bit uncertain, Catherine mumbled, ¡°Ummm¡­ Nothing?¡± ¡°Right, nothing. So why do you want things to fall apart for you?¡± Rome asked with a straight face. With her eyes fixed on his, Catherine slowly rubbed her thumb against her other finger as she mumbled beneath her breath, ¡°I don''t know. I thought maybe¡­¡± ¡°The quote, ¡®Bad things happen to good people is not right because it shouldn''t be that way, and you shouldn''t be thinking in such a manner.¡± Rome firmly said. ¡°I know. It feels a bit weird that I am still seeding against it all. It wasn''t like that before I marr...¡± ¡°Before you married me?¡± Silence fell between them as Catherine stared deep into Rome''s eyes. Then she faintly smiled and mumbled, ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°I guess I''m your lucky charm then,¡± Rome said with a straight face. ¡°I guess you are.¡± ¡°Right, I am.¡± There was a brief pause, and Rome wanted so desperately to tell her his real identity as he intensely stared at her. But Jeff suddenly entered the room, and Catherine swayed her attention off Rome. ¡°I can''t believe you two have time for romance when the Barlow name is up in mes!¡± Jeff rudely uttered as he walked past them. Then he sluggishly sat on the couch and mumbled, ¡°Well, it shouldn''t bug you though since you are the one who set it on fire.¡± Frowning, Catherine stared at him and asked, ¡°What are you talking about!¡± ¡°We both know what is going on here,¡± Jeff said, narrowing his eyes at her. ¡°You might, but I don''t.¡± ¡°The innocent act. I''m not buying that crap!¡± For a while, Catherine stared at her cousin. Then she looked away from him and said, ¡°I have no time for your mind games. I have to get to the office.¡± ¡°I will tag along with you,¡± Rome said. Resting his feet on the table, Jeff smirked and slyly uttered, ¡°You both are a perfect match! The hypocrite and her loyal dog!¡± Anger glowed in Rome''s eyes as he stared at Jeff. But then he took a deep breath and coldly uttered, ¡°Only a fool spits out garbage and takes pride in it.¡± Those words raised Jeff¡¯s anger to the roof. But before he could think about a response, Rome had already led Catherine out of the living room. Fighting against his urge to scream, Jeff hatefully stared at the living room entrance as he allowed his anger to devour him from the inside. At ten o''clock, Rome brought Catherine Sedan into the parking lot of DreamTeam Inc. and got out of the car. Then he gazed at Catherine when she asked, ¡°Are youing in?¡± ¡°I''m hungry. We didn''t have breakfast. Should we go somewhere and grab a quick bite?¡± Rome replied. Feeling indecisive, Catherine anxiously said, ¡°We could go to a restaurant. But to be honest, it''s going to be hectic here for grandfather and my uncles to handle alone, so¡­¡± ¡°I will get us takeout. You can go in first, and I will join youter.¡± Rome gently said. A sense of relief coursed through Catherine as she smiled and mumbled, ¡°Thanks for understanding.¡± Replying with a smile, Rome felt a bit relieved since her response was actually what he was going for. For a brief while, Rome watched Catherine as she headed into the building. Then he waited a few more minutes before getting into the car. Afterward, he pulled out his phone, scrolled through his contact, and stopped at Mr. Davis'' number. After dialing it, it took a few seconds, then Mr. Davis¡¯ voice flowed into his ear, ¡°Good morning, sir.¡± ¡°Tell everyone toe to DreamTeam today before three, and there are a few things I need you to tell Mr. Barlow when you get here,¡± Rome said, looking out the car window as he stared at the entrance of the building. The line went silent for a while. Then Mr. Davis'' voice flowed out of the speakers, ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± The callsted for a few minutes before Rome could end it. Afterward, he started the car engine and drove off. It was a few minutes after ten when Rome walked into the office, carrying bags in both hands. ¡°Are we eating with others?¡± Catherine asked when she gazed at him walking through the doorway with the bags. ¡°Nope, these are just ours,¡± Rome said, setting the items on the table. Then he watched Catherine leave from behind her desk and approached him. When she reached him, she didn''t say a word as she dug into the bags. It took a while, but Catherine got everything out, and after she did, she gazed at Rome and pouted. ¡°These are foods that I love,¡± Catherine mumbled, sniffing back tears. ¡°Yeah, I thought it would cheer you up. Did it?¡± Rome asked, staring into her watery eyes. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Nodding slightly, Catherine wept her cheek and mumbled, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I''m d then,¡± Rome said, knowing that things was about to escte. By two o''clock, Mr. Barlow was seated in his office with his head resting back on his chair, when a knock on his door made him sit up straight. ¡° Who is it?¡± Mr. Barlow asked. ¡°E.¡± His secretary called out from the other side of the door. After sighing heavily, Mr. Barlow said, ¡°Come in!¡± The door opened, and E walked into the office with an anxious look on her face. Then she stopped a few distances away from the desk and said, ¡°Boss, the media tforms are threateningwsuits if we cancel the press conference.¡± ¡°What! Why?¡± Mr. Barlow angrily uttered. ¡°Because they canceled most of their other activities because of this conference. Therefore they are asking forpensation.¡± ¡°At such a troubling time I can''t afford to waste money on them!¡± ¡°What are we going to do then?¡± In annoyance, Mr. Barlow slowly tapped his fingers against the desk and said, ¡°I don''t know. We will just have to make up a story and sell it to them.¡± Feeling hesitant, E slightly frowned and mumbled, ¡°But, sir¡­¡± ¡°Let me handle this, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Even though she wasn''t fine with what he had said, E left the office. However, it took a couple of minutes for Mr. Barlow to get another knock on his door. ¡°Who is it?¡± Mr. Barlow shouted, feeling out of patience. ¡°It''s E.¡± His secretary said from the other end of the door. ¡°What is it!¡± ¡°You got a few guests. They are clients of Elijahs.¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 The office door opened, and all of Elijah¡¯s clients walked into the room. Then they took a seat on the leather couches and focused on Mr. Barlow. ¡°Excuse me,¡± E said before walking out of the room and shutting the door closed. For a few seconds, it was silent. Then Mr. Barlow cleared his throat and gently asked, ¡°Why are you all here?¡± ¡°It''s no secret that DBA INC. is failing immensely.¡± Mr. Davis carefully said, striving to remember Rome''s every word correctly. ¡°So I heard.¡± ¡°That is why we are here to tell you that we want to keep our projects with DreamTeam, and since Elijah is not a part of thispany, we will like to sign under William.¡± Although Mr. Barlow kept a straight face, he was extremely excited inside, knowing that this was something that could help DreamTeam. Without any second thought, he looked at Davis and said, ¡°If that''s the case, then I will call William up here so we can get the paperwork started.¡± ¡°Wonderful!¡± Mr. Davis said, feeling relief that things went easier than he expected. The silence in William¡¯s office was suddenly disrupted by his ringtone. So he dropped his pen and picked up his phone. When he answered the call, Mr. Barlow''s voice echoed into his ear, ¡°Come to my office now.¡± ¡°What is it!¡± William asked, still feeling enraged about the morning event. ¡°Just get here!¡± ¡°I''m on my way.¡± After ending the call, William stood from his seat and grabbed his coat off the rack before walking out of his office. A few minutester, he arrived in Mr. Barlow¡¯s office, and the moment he recognized those that were in the room, he froze. ¡°I''m here,¡± William said with his focus on his father. ¡°Elijah¡¯s clients are willing to sign with you.¡± Mr. Barlow said. ¡°What!¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± The first thought that crossed his mind was to refuse. But then that would make his father suspicious of him, and since Charles had already angered Mr. Barlow, William knew not to add to that anger. Against his better judgment, he gave a half-smile and said, ¡°Of course not. When do were start the paperwork?¡± ¡°Now,¡± Mr. Barlow replied. By three o''clock, all the documents wereplete, and William''s signature was on all of them. After the clients had left, it was just Mr. Barlow and William in the room. Feeling ufortable by the silence, he stood to his feet to leave, but Mr. Barlow looked at him and said, ¡°ording to my promise you would ascend to your brother''s position, and we are going to announce that at the press conference.¡± ¡°What!¡± William intoned, staring at his father in disbelief. ¡°Since we can''t clear Charles¡¯ name, you taking Elijah''s role on the board of directors is the perfect news that could shadow your son''s rumor!¡± ¡°But, father¡­¡± Although he so desperately wanted to protest against the idea, William knew going against his father at such a critical time was more dangerous than offending his brother, so he took a deep breath and said, ¡°Sure.¡± When Rome¡¯s phone rang, he felt d that Catherine wasn''t in the office seeing that it was Davis'' number blinking on his screen. After answering the call, he heard Davis say, ¡°It''s done. All our projects have gotten signed under William.¡± ¡°Good. I just need onest thing from you.¡± Rome said with his focus on the office door. There was a long pause. Then Mr. Davis sighed and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Call Elijah and tell him exactly what you just told me.¡± ¡°That William got our projects?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It got awfully silence on the other end of the call, and Rome patiently waited without care. ¡°You are trying to put both brothers against each other,¡± Mr. Davis'' voice flowed out of the speakers. ¡°They were against each other from the very start!¡± Rome coldly said. ¡°Now, would you make the call or will your wife be receiving the pictures?¡± Silence followed his question. Then Mr. Davis said from the other side of the line, ¡°I will make the call.¡± ¡°Good. I''m d we are on the same page.¡± Rome said before ending the call. At that moment, Catherine walked into the office, and when she and Rome¡¯s eyes met, he softly smiled and asked, ¡°What did your grandfather call you about?¡± ¡°He said that William got all of Elijah¡¯s clients.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah. And to uphold his promise, he will be ascending William to the position and will be announcing it today at the press conference, so we all should be in the conference hall before five o''clock.¡± ¡°Are we going?¡± ¡°Yeah, we are.¡± By four-thirty in the afternoon, Catherine and Rome arrived in the conference hall, and so did the rest of the Barlows, except for Chloe, Jeff, Charles, Elijah, and Dana. Although it wasn''t five o''clock yet, reporters and various representatives from several news tforms had started arriving in the hall. By five-fifteen, most of the chairs were upied, and the Barlow family was seated on stage. The press conference was about to start when suddenly the huge wooden door opened, and Elijah walked into the hall. His sudden appearance drew everyone¡¯s attention to him. But the only person Elijah was focused on was William, and with a look of pure hate in his eyes, he marched over to his brother. At this point, all the reporters had their cameras directly at him as they eagerly waited to see what he was about to do. It was no news that Elijah was a part of DBA since he had made it known to the public when he left DreamTeam, and it wasn''t a secret that DBA INC. was failing. Now everyone was interested in his sudden attendance at the conference, except for Rome since this was actually what he calcted would happen if Elijah got the news about William. The hall was quite silent as Elijah marched on stage. Then he walked directly to William. Seeing the rage in his brother¡¯s eyes, William stood to his feet and hastily said, ¡°I know what you are thinking, but it''s not what it is. I swear, even though it does look like it, it''s not!¡± But like a deaf and angry bull, Elijah threw his left fist out in a curved punch, hitting William in his temple. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Within a matter of seconds, shes of camera lights beamed in the hall and a loudmotion arose. ¡°Elijah!¡± Madam Rosey shouted, hastily standing to her feet as she watched him swing another punch at William. ¡°You disgraceful child!¡± Mr. Barlowshed out. Hearing his father''s words, Elijah stopped his fist at the tip of William¡¯s nose. Then he gazed at his father and asked, ¡°I¡¯m disgraceful?¡± Then he stared at Anthony before ring at William and shouting, ¡°Are we all not scandalous and dishonorable?¡± Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Knowing that his brother was about to ruin them all, Anthony stood to his feet and said, "Elijah, how about we do this at home?" "Home, Nah. We are going to do this here so that everyone can know the kind of hypocrites and betrayals I have as brothers!" Elijah coldly said before sneering. A slight smirk surfaced on Rome''s face, but his expression quickly became straight when Catherine took his hand in hers. Staring at her, Rome saw a touch of anxiety in her eyes, and he squeezed her hand and mumbled, "It''s going to be fine." Although Catherine was nervous about what her uncle''s behavior was going to cost their family, she smiled faintly, trying to findfort in his words. "Look, Elijah! I wasn''t the one who set you up!" William calmly said, taking a step back as he tried to create a distance between his brother and him, just in case he became violent again. "Am I supposed to believe that bullcrap! You suddenly got all my clients when mypany begin to struggle for unknown reasons!" Elijah said, tightening his fist. When Madam Rosey finally realized how many cameras were focused on them, she stared at Elijah and said, "Your brother is right! Let''s do this at home!" "Home? I was kicked out, remember! And it''s all your precious William''s fault!" "Stop being stubborn and quit this nonsense!" "I will, but after I tell you all what kind of people my brothers are!" It was clear to Anthony that Elijah was about to drag him down too, and he grew desperate, so he calmly said, "William has kept it all in for years! Do you think he would betray you now! It doesn''t make sense." Those words confused Mr. Barlow for a while. Then he frowned and shouted, "You both knew from the very beginning that Elijah owns DBA INC!" A smirk crept on Elijah''s lips as he stared at his father''s mad eyes. Then he slyly said, "Not only that. They have been embezzling thepany funds, clients'' project moneys, and other cash earned by the business for personal use!" Widening his eyes, Mr. Barlow clutched his chest as his breathing got shallow, and his heartbeat increased. But Elijah showed no sign of remorse and said, "William is addicted to gambling, and Anthony, well, he''s involved in underground dealings! That''s where they have been wasting thepany money for years." "Shut up!" Williamshed out at his brother, feeling overwhelmed with shame and fear of what his father would do to him now that he knows the truth. Ignoring his brother words, Elijah coldly gazed at his father and said, "Congrattions! Your sons are disgraceful!" "Father, I can exin!" Anthony said, staring at Mr. Barlow''s nk expression. But when his father didn''t showed any interest in what he said, he gazed at Madam Rosey, but she slightly shook her head with hurt in her expression. With his eyes watery, Mr. Barlow dropped back and sluggishlynded in his seat. Then a single teardrop rolled from the corner of his eye. "Honey," Madam Rosey cried as she rushed to his side. "Take me home." Mr. Barlow mumbled, squeezing his eyelids shut for a moment. A few minutester, themotion in the hall grew louder as thepany securities tried to fight back reporters while they shoved their cameras and mics at Mr. Barlow as Madam Rosey and Edward tried to get him out of the conference hall. Not thinking straight, Catherine left her chair and followed them, leaving Rome seated on stage. But he didn''t go after her. Instead, Rome remained seated as he texted Mr. Ondo, "I need you to silent all media tforms about today''s news concerning the DreamTeam INC and the Barlow family." "What? But why? I thought this was what you wanted?" Mr. Ondo messaged back. "This news will damage DreamTeam INC, and my wife can''t inherit a brokenpany." "True. I will get on it right away." With a look of concern in her eyes, Catherine stood by the car door as her grandfather was about to get into the car. But instead of Mr. Barlow getting into the vehicle, he turned to her and said, "Can you ask Mr. Ford to make this nightmare go away?" Feeling shocked and nervous, Catherine mumbled, "Grandfather, I don''t think¡­" "I know you don''t think that it''s okay to bug Mr. Ford with our family matters. But DreamTeam is about to drown, and this is a desperate time. You heard him that night. I''m sure he will be okay with helping us." "But¡­" "You just need to ask him to help us bury today news." Still feeling overwhelmed by the sense of difort, Catherine moved her lips to speak, but Mr. Barlow grabbed her hands and said, "I''m begging you, Catherine. This is the only way to revive us." For a moment, she speechlessly stared at her grandfather while wondering how she advance from being looked down on all the time to getting to a ce where her grandfather could swallow his ego and beg her. "I will see what I can do," Catherine said, even though she still felt hesitant. "Thank you." Mr. Barlow gently uttered before letting go of her hand and getting into the car. As Madam Rosey walked past Catherine, she stopped for a moment, smiled at her, and then she got into the vehicle. With her gaze fixed on the ck limousine, Catherine watched as it drove off. Then she turned around and saw Rome staring at her. A sense offort took over Catherine when he smiled at her, and without any hesitation, she rushed towards him. "Are you okay?" Rome gently inquired. "I don''t know. Grandpa wants me to ask Mr. Ford for his help to bury the news. But¡­" Catherine said, pausing for a second as she tried to figure out how to put the rest of her thoughts into words. "That''s a great idea." "What!" With a straight face, Catherine looked Rome directly in his eyes and asked, "You agree with him." "Well, I see the logic in why your grandfather would want Mr. Ford help," Rome exined, realizing that his father taking credit for what he''s already doing wouldn''t raise questions among the Barlows. "But¡­" Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "What happened in there wasn''t pretty, and if it gets released to the public, DreamTeam will crash badly." Silence fell between them, and when he saw the look of hesitation in Catherine''s eyes, he calmly asked, "What is it?" "I just feel ufortable that''s all," Catherine mumbled. "You are not forced to do what you don''t feel like doing, okay? So if you are notfortable¡­" "I should call him first, right?" "What?" "Mr. Ford. I should give him a call first before meeting him." Pausing for a moment, Rome couldn''t help, but feel relieved, seeing that she was lighting up a bit. Then he gave her a half-smile and said, "Sure." Afterward, he and Catherine got into her car, and she sat silently in the passenger seat and nkly stared at the windshield for a moment to pull herself together. Then she took out her phone, scrolled through her contact and dial Mr. Ford''s number. The conference room was quite peaceful until the sound of a ringtone drew everyone''s attention towards Mr. Ford. But his focus was on his phone as he stared at the words, "My Daughter-inw," blinking on his screen. With excitement in his eyes, he answered the call, rested the phone against his ear, and said, "Good day, miss Catherine.". Taking in a deep breath, Catherine stared at Rome. Then she gently exhaled and said, "Hello, Mr. Ford. Are you busy right now?" After taking a second to stare at the faces in the room, Mr. Ford smiled and replied, "No, I''m not. What is it?" "Can we meet up? I have something I want to ask you." "Sure, where?" "Anywhere that is convenient to you would be fine." "How about we talk over lunch at SkyHigh restaurant?" For a moment, Catherine was silent as she gazed at Rome. Then she said, "Okay, but I''ming with my husband." The smile on Mr. Ford''s lips widened, and striving to sound calm, he casually uttered, "Sure. I''m on my way there." Afterward, he ended the call and stood from the chair. Then he stared at everyone''s faces and said, "This meeting is adjourned." Staring at Catherine, Rome asked, "What did he say?" "We are invited to have lunch with him at Skyhigh restaurant. Hopefully, he will be in a generous mood to help us." Catherine mumbled, wearing her seatbelt. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 A whileter, Rome drove the car into the parking lot of Skyhigh restaurant. Then he and Catherine got down from the vehicle. Afterward, they headed into the skyscraper in front of them, and when Rome and Catherine got into the lobby, they approached the counter. After the hostess had given them her full attention, Catherine gently uttered, "Hello, we are suppose to meet up with Mr. Ford here. Has he arrived?" "Of course. Please, pleasee with me." The hostess humbly said, leaving from behind the counter. Then she escorted Rome and Catherine into the elevator and pressed button eighteen. A few minutester, the elevator came to a stop, and its door opened. Then Catherine, the hostess, and Rome walked out into the hallway. It took a while, but they finally arrived in a room with a transparent roof which caused the ce to be filled with natural light. "Excuse me." The hostess said before turning around and walking out of the room. Striving to stay calm, Catherine walked alongside Rome to the table, and then both of them took their seats. For a moment, Rome stared calmly at his father, smiling faintly. Finally getting a hold of her emotions, Catherine exhaled and said, "Mr. Ford, I¡­" "Should we eat first? We can circle back to business talk afterward." Mr. Ford softly uttered, hoping that Catherine would say yes because he had been dreaming about such a day like this for a long time. "Of course," "Great!" The sunlight had faded a bit by six o''clock, and the bulbs came on, brightening the room. By now, Catherine felt rxed after she, Rome, and Mr. Ford had indulged in small conversation while they were eating. "You are a good man than what the media paint you to be," Catherine mumbled out loud even though she meant to say it in her head. Seeing how embarrassed she looked after her remark, Mr. Ford chuckled and said, "Thanks for the Finally feelingfortable enough, Catherine stared down at her te and said, "I''m hoping that you wouldn''t take this the wrong way or think that I''m taking advantage of you¡­" "Okay, I wouldn''t." Mr. Ford said, smiling to reassure her. "My family needs your help. We held a press conference today, but it turned into a disaster, and DreamTeam could suffer a lot because of that. That''s why¡­" "You want me to bury the news." With a look of hesitation in her eyes, Catherine lifted her head and calmly uttered, "Yes, please." "Sure." Mr. Ford said, even though he already knew Rome had everything under control. "Really!" "Of course. You are helping me with my project. This is the least I can do for the incredible job you have done so far." "Thank you so much." As all the fear that she felt slowly faded, Catherine met Rome''s eyes and beamed. Swaying his gaze from her for a second, he stared at Mr. Ford and said, "Thank you." At nine o''clock, Catherine and Rome arrived in the Barlow mansion, and the moment they walked into the living room, the atmosphere was awkward. For a moment, Rome stared at William and Anthony and both brothers looked extremely worried and restless. "Where is grandfather?" Catherine gently asked. But all she got was silence as a reply from her uncles, their wives, Charles, Jeff, and Richard. After a few seconds had gone by in silence, Catherine was about to turn around to leave when her father and mother arrived in the living room. "What''s going on?" Edward asked, staring at his daughter''s annoyed expression. "Do you know where grandfather is?" Catherine mumbled as she focused on her father. "When we came home, he went straight to his room and hasn''te downstairs since then." "Thanks," As Catherine was about to head upstairs to her grandparents'' bedroom, Mr. Barlow and Madam Rosey suddenly walked into the living room. "Father," William hastily said, standing to his feet. But Mr. Barlow red at him and harshly uttered, "Keep your lies to yourself! I only came down because Susanna told me Catherine was home!" Striving to make up a cover-up story, Anthony hastily uttered, "Father, I know what Elijah said, and it''s¡­" "It''s all true! You two have beenvishing my hard-earned money on rubbish! Fools!" No one spoke after his remark. Then Mr. Barlow shook his fist andshed out, "I can''t believe that you all were just wolves in sheep''s clothing and stabbing me in the back while eating at the same table with me!" With a look of concern in her eyes, Madam Rosey calmly uttered, "Honey, your health¡­" "I have thieves for sons!" Mr. Barlow angrily mumbled beneath his breath. Afterward, he scowled at William and Anthony and shouted, "You both are rogues!" Then he finally realized something that suddenly sent his anger off the chart, and he frowned and harshly intoned, "The fact that you both got away with stealing from me for so long means you guys have corrupted mypany!" Fear clouded Charles'' eyes because he was also involved in the illegal taking ofpany funds. But then he realized that he had nothing left to lose since he wasn''t working with DreamTeam Inc any longer and his name was off the family inheritance listing, and he felt enraged rather than relieved. "Now I have to cleanse mypany, and I will start by firing you two! And William, you can forget about ascending to Elijah''s position!" Mr. Barlow firmly said, staring coldly at his sons. "But Father¡­" William mumbled, pausing when he saw the anger in his father''s eyes. Swaying his attention off his sons, Mr. Barlow looked at Catherine and angrily uttered, "Either Richard or Catherine will be given the position since they are the only two who haven''t totally humiliated this family and disgrace our reputation yet!" After a few minutes had gone by in silence, Mr. Barlow finally felt calmer. Then he looked at Catherine This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. and asked, "Did you speak with Mr. Ford?" "Yes," Catherine mumbled. Then she frowned when she noticed the hostile stare she was getting from Jeff. "And what did he say?!" Mr. Barlow eagerly asked. "He agreed to help us," Catherine replied, snapping out of the awful feeling her cousin''s look gave her. Feeling a sense of relief, Mr. Barlow heavily sighed and said, "Great. That must be why we haven''t heard any news by now about the conference." At that moment, the sound of a ringtone disrupted their conversation, and when Rome saw everyone staring at him, he gently uttered, "Excuse me," Then he left the living room and headed out of the mansion. After he had walked a few distances away from the house, he stopped and pulled out his phone, and then answered the call. "When am I going to get the pictures!" Mr. Davis'' harsh voice echoed into Rome''s ear. "Where did you leave your manners, Davis?"Rome casually asked, frowning slightly. The other side of the line grew quiet for a moment. Then Mr. Davis'' voice echoed from the speakers, "I''m sorry. But I am also getting restless." "Meet me at Bluelight cafe tomorrow," Rome said, ending the call immediately after his remark. Afterward, he dialed Brook''s number, and when his call got answered, he said, "Leak the information to Elijah that Davis was the one in the meeting who exposed him." "Yes, boss," Brook said from the other end of the call. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 At seven o''clock the next morning, Catherine and Rome came downstairs, and the moment, they walked into the dining room, Madam Rosey rushed over to her granddaughter and hugged her affectionately. After letting Catherine go, she smiled brightly and said, "Thank you, dear." Feeling shocked, Catherine stared at her grandfather, and when he smiled at her, she felt even more confused. "No news about the event that took ce at yesterday''s conference has been published. It''s like nothing happened." Mr. Barlow said as he stood from his seat. Then he approached Catherine, showed her his phone screen, and said, "But apparently, a reporter spotted you, Rome, and Mr. Ford leaving Skyhigh restaurant together. A photo of you guys was taken, and now, it''s all every media is reporting on." "The amazingst granddaughter of the Barlow family is spreading her wings in the business world, and she was spotted along with her husband, leaving Skyhigh restaurant with Mr. Ford, the big gun in the business circle." Catherine read as she stared at the first paragraph of the article. At first, Rome was confused since he didn''t know Mr. Ford had a n of his own. Then he faintly smiled and thought, ''Thank you, Father.'' The grinned on Mr. Barlow''s face slowly faded, and he sighed with remorse in his eyes. "I can''t believe it has been you all along," Mr. Barlow said, smiling at Catherine. But out of confusion, she mumbled, "Uh?" "What do you say about taking your uncle''s ce at thepany and bing second to me?" "What?" "I want you to take Elijah''s seat on the board." At that moment, Anthony and William walked into the room along with Jeff, Richard, and Charles. "Atst, it all worked in favor for you just as I suspected!" Jeff coldly said as he rested his back against This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. the wall and crossed his right leg over the other. Then when everyone gazed at him, he sighed and said, "Don''t you see that she has been ying all of us all along, and we all willingly participated in her game!" "What nonsense are you talking about!" Mr. Barlowshed out. "Your granddaughter is the devil that has been raining down hell on all of us!" "Catherine has done nothing wrong!" "Tell me, who is still standing after we all have fallen?" Even though he was considering Jeff''s words, Mr. Barlow shouted, "Catherine is seeding because her hands are not dirty like you all!" "Right, our hands have been dirty from the very start, but we didn''t fall like ants as we are doing now! Doesn''t no one find it strange that she''s the only one gaining from our failure!" Jeff said, withdrawing from the wall. Pulling his brows together into a frown, Edward narrowed his eyes at Jeff. But ignoring the look his uncle give him, he walked further into the living room and boldly intoned, "First, she ascends to Charles position, and¡­" "Charles tried to sabotage my hard work and frame me! I didn''t get to that position on my own. Grandfather was the one who put me there! I did nothing wrong!" Catherine straightforwardly uttered. If it was in the past, she would have felt hesitant to defend herself, but after her little talk with Rome the morning before, she realized that she deserved to be where she was at in life. "And why I got promoted to your position, that''s because your ill action scared your clients away from you, and they wanted to sign with me!" Catherine continued with a straight face. "They could have gone to anybody else, but they chose you! Why!" Jeff angrily intoned, standing his ground. "Why not me! As you said, they could have chosen anybody, and if they decided on me, I don''t see the problem in it!" "Haha, you have an answer for everything, don''t you!" Frowning, Jeff smirked and said, "I wondered if your closeness with Mr. Ford is the reason Chloe got cut of the family inheritance listing." "What?" Catherine asked, raising a brow. "If you could make Mr. Ford bury such a huge news, it''s not hard for you to damage Chloe''s name to him and have him hate her, so you can get rid of one lesspetitor." "That''s crazy! I would never do something like that!" Sneering, Jeff furrowed his brows and firmly said, "Says the one who is closed to a powerful person that recently dered to all of us that there''s nothing he wouldn''t do for you if you asked him!" Frowning, Rome realized at Jeff was actually onto something that could cause problems for Catherine. But he didn''t utter a word since he wanted to see where the conversation was heading. Speechless from her cousin''s absurd assumptions, Catherine nkly stared at him, unable to wrap her head around how wide his imagination was bing. "Catherine, don''t act innocent. You are just as dirty as all of us, and just because you keep your skeletons well hidden in your closet, that doesn''t mean you are a saint." Jeff coldly intoned, feeling satisfied with his conclusion. At first, his words didn''t get to Catherine because she knew it wasn''t true. But when she saw how her grandfather and grandmother looked at her, she knew that they were considering Jeff''s word and that broke her heart. "Your ns to get all four of us eliminated out of the inheritance list has cost our family a lot!" Jeff coldly said. "You have damaged this family reputation more than any of us has done!" "Did she tell you to burn your grandfather''s warehouse or your father to embezzled thepany money? You two are full-grown men who acted oyn your own free will." Rome suddenly said, staring directly at Jeff. Then he scowled and said, "Chloe, Elijah, William, Anthony, Charles, and you all made up your bed, so After keeping his silence throughout the conversation, Mr. Barlow finally said, "I will host a board meeting tomorrow, and the board member will be the one to decide between Catherine and Richard who''spetent for Elijah''s position." Swaying his attention to William and Anthony, he frowned and said, "We could do it today, but I have to find reputable people for my two dishonorable sons'' position on the board." The fact that their father had removed them from among the board members was enraging them. But William and Anthony felt even more furious that they couldn''t do anything about it because they have fallen to the bottom with no chance and hope of getting back to the top again. Staring at Catherine, Mr. Barlow gently said, "I hope you don''t take this differently. I just want to give your cousin a fair chance as you." "Of course," Catherine said, striving to stay calm even though she was mad that they were using her of something she had no idea about. After ncing at her grandfather, she walked out of the dining room, and without any hesitation, Rome followed her. Within a matter of seconds, the others started leaving the dining room, and Richard and Jeff were the As he was about to walk past his brother, Jeff grabbed his arm and whispered, "You have been given a second chance. What are you going to do with it?" "Should I be doing something?" Richard mumbled, realizing that his response was dumb, and yet he meant it because he was confused. "Yes, you should. There is no way you are going to beat Catherine fairly." "Then what should I do?" Chapter 110 Chapter 110 By ten o''clock, a gold duster came to a stop in front of Bluelight restaurant, and Rome got down from the car. Then he adjusted his cap before heading into the building with K walking a few distances behind him. When Rome arrived inside, the only ones there were the staffs, Brook, Scar, and ze since he had booked the entire restaurant. "Good morning, boss!" The three of them said in unison when he came closer to them. After Rome took a seat at the table, it didn''t take long for the restaurant door to open and Mr. Davis walked inside. Noticing the hostile atmosphere, Mr. Davis humbly approached the table, avoiding meeting K, Scar, Brook, and ze''s eyes. Then he took a seat, looked at Rome, and said, "I came as you asked." Without uttering a word, Rome took out his phone from his pocket, rested it t on the table, and clicked on his gallery icon. As he scrolled through his photos, Mr. Davis kept his eyes focused solely on the screen, and when Rome arrived at the pictures of him, he felt his heart skip a beat. In silence, Rome selected all the photos. Then he nced at Mr. Davis before deleting them. Afterward, he took the phone, dropped it to the floor, and stepped the heel of his shoe into it. A looked of shock clouded Mr. Davis''s eyes as he watched Rome repeatedly step on his phone, damaging the screen entirely. "Evidence destroyed." Rome coldly uttered, after picking up the broken phone from the floor and dropping it in a ss of water on the table. A sigh of relief escaped Mr. Davis'' lip as he rested back in his seat and smiled. Narrowing his eyes at Mr. Davis, Rome showed his hand to Brook, and hastily, Brook put a brand-new phone on Rome''s palm. "How do I know that you didn''t back up the photos on that phone!" Mr. Davis asked with a hint of worry in his eyes as he sat up straight. Keeping silent, Rome unlocked the phone screen,id it on the table, and went into his gallery. "I did back-up my data from that phone to this one. But I don''t have any use for you, Davis, so your photos have no reason being in my phone." Rome said, coldly staring at him. For a moment, Mr. Davis gazed at the empty gallery. Then he nervously giggled, feeling relieved again. "Well, I should get going then." Mr. Davis said, wanting to desperately get out of Rome''s sight because he found his presence intimidating. After waiting for a few minutes, and Rome said nothing, he stood to his feet and walked away, heading for the door. But it suddenly opened and his wife walked in, causing him to stop in his tracks. "Hen, what are you doing here?" Mr. Davis asked, noticing a look of rage in her eyes. Not saying a word, Hen walked over to him and swung her hand towards his face, smacking him hard in the cheek before shouting, "I followed you, you cheating bastard!" For a moment, Rome stared at the couple. Then his eyes darted towards the ceiling when Hen looked at him and coldly uttered, "I thought you came to meet one of the women you are cheating on me with!" Immediately, Mr. Davis threw Rome a dirty look, assuming that he was the one who told on him to his wife. But then she took out an envelope, pped it against his chest, and shouted, "Is this why you came homete!" Feeling speechless, Mr. Davis opened the envelope and realized that it wasn''t the photos Rome had of him, but photos of him leaving a brothel at three a.m. However, he still assumed that Rome was behind it until his phone buzzed, and he stared at the screen and saw a text from Elijah saying, "An eye for an eye. I hope your wife is not as forgiving as my father." Clutching his fist, Mr. Davis gazed at his wife and said, "I can exin." "Well then, whatever you have to say, you can tell it to mywyer!" Hen shouted before walking out of the restaurant. Swaying his gaze away from the door, Mr. Davis red at Rome''s causal expression. Then he ran after his wife. "Two birds, one stone," Rome mumbled with a half-smile. Then he stood from the chair, picked up his phone from the table, and walked out of the restaurant. A few minutester, as Mr. Ondo was driving the vehicle out of the parking lot, Rome''s phone buzzed. He then gazed at the screen, smiled, and answered the call. "Stop at the store and let''s have a meal together." Mr. Miller''s voice echoed into his ear. "Okay, I''m on my way," Rome said, feeling a sense of joy coursing through him. By noon, the Duster pulled up in front of Mr. Miller''s shop, and then Mr. Ondo stepped on the brake pedal. After getting down from the vehicle, Rome headed inside. When he walked into the kitchen, he stopped, and his lips curved into a smile as he stared at his father. "You are here," Mr. Miller mumbled, cing the bowl of hot noodles on the table. Then he frowned, staring at Rome for a while before asking, "Why are you dressed like that?" "Uh?" Rome absentmindedly mumbled. "The cap, mask, and sses, why are you wearing them?" "Well¡­" Seeing the look of hesitation in Rome''s eyes, Mr. Miller scowled and angrily said, "You haven''t told her yet! Are you kidding me, Rome!" "I''m going to, soon." Rome gently uttered, removing his cap before taking off his shade and mask. "How soon is soon?" "I have already told you this before, father. After Catherine bes her family''s top inheritor." Silence fell between them as Mr. Miller ignored him, walked over to the counter, and got the chopsticks. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Then he walked back to the table, took a deep breath, and said, "I say forget everything and tell her the truth!" "Dad, Catherine is so close to haven''t what she always wanted. I can''t ruin that for her." Rome calmly intoned. Sighing heavily, Mr. Miller rested the chopsticks on the table and said, "Have you thought about how she''s going to feel after she finds out that you''ve been lying to her for years, or what she''s going to do!" "No, I haven''t thought about it. I don''t want to think about it." Rome said, feeling a tightness in his chest. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 When the early light of the sunrise beamed on Catherine''s face, she turned to the right, resting her head on Rome''s chest. Then she slowly raised hershes and deeply sighed, feeling a bit overwhelmed. At that moment, she felt Rome''s fingers caressing her hair as his voice echoed into her ear, "What''s troubling you?" "Today is the board meeting, and I just feel like I should let Richard have the position," Catherine mumbled, snuggling further into Rome''s arm. "I see. You have allowed Jeff to get in your head." "Umm¡­" Shifting in another position, Catherine rested her chin on Rome''s chest and met his eyes. Then she pouted and mumbled, "What do you mean?" "It''s called mind game. He is ying on your emotions to get you to willingly lose." Rome softly said. "I know, but¡­" "You are so close to gaining it all. Do you really want to quit?" "No," Smiling, he tapped his finger on Catherine''s nose and said, "That''s what I thought. So go today and be great." "Thanks, babe. I needed to hear this." Catherine said, exhaling softly. At seven o''clock, the table was set for breakfast, and everyone was already seated, except for Catherine and Rome. However, a few secondster, they walked into the dining room, and when Catherine locked eyes with Jeff, she raised her chin and maintained eye contact with him for a moment before sitting down. Afterward, Rome took his seat, and they ate in silence. "So, you found someone to rece us," William mumbled, frowning at his food. "Yes, and if I could switch you for a better son, I would. I can''t believe I have been living under the same roof with wolves!" Mr. Barlowshed out in anger, feeling his rage from yesterday resurfacing. "Honey, you know what Doctor Len advised. You can''t get worked up anymore. It''s not good for your health." Madam Rosey gently said. "Maybe if I didn''t have disgraceful children, I wouldn''t be in a poor health condition!" "Are you ming me for not birthing good sons! Your blood runs through their veins, so maybe you should be pointing your finger at yourself!" The sudden rise in Madam Rosey''s voice immediately made the dining room fall silent. Clearing his throat, Mr. Barlow stared away from his wife and focused on his food. After breakfast was over, one after the other, everyone left the dining hall and headed out of the mansion. A whileter, Mr. Barlow''s car came to a stopped in front of the DreamTeam building, and it didn''t take long for Richard''s vehicle to arrive in the parking lot. Then a few secondster, Rome slowed down Catherine''s sedan a few distances away from Jeff''s car and brought it to a stop. Within a few minutester, they all arrived inside the building, and since the was only a few minutes left for the board meeting to start, Catherine, Jeff, and Mr. Barlow when to the board room while Rome waited patiently in Catherine''s office. After taking their seats around the oval table, ady came into the room and serve everyone a drink. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Then she rolled the trolley out of the room and shut the door behind her. Feeling overwhelmed by nervousness, Catherine picked up her coffee and since it was lukewarm she drank it all in one go. The was a salty taste on her tongue afterward. But not wanting toin, Catherine set the mug down and took in a deep breath. However, when the meeting began, she started feeling dizzy and lightheaded. Striving to stay awake, she gently shook her head and sat up straight. About five minutes into the meeting, Catherine slowly started losing herself, and she could barely keep her eyes open. But unlike her, Richard was extremely active in the meeting, and quick to respond to question thrown at him. "Miss, Catherine," Ady called out to Catherine after addressing a question to her and she didn''t respond. "Catherine!" Mr. Barlow shouted, ring at his granddaughter. Finally, she forced her eyelids opened and looked at him. Then she smiled and giggled softly before squeezing her eyes shut for a moment. "I think I need to take a nap," Catherine mumbled, resting her head on the table. "What is this! You must be kidding me!" A fellowshed out with a frown. Raising her head, Catherine scowled at him and harshly said, "Can you shut up! I need to rest, okay! So keep your lips sealed!" "Wow, unbelievable!" The fellow shouted as he watched Catherine rested her head back on the table. The board members looked extremely displeased by Catherine''s behavior, and one of them stared at Mr. Barlow and firmly intoned, "It seems like your granddaughter doesn''t take this position seriously!" "Right! She knew she had such an important meeting today, and she didn''t usest night to sleep!" A "And how can she turn the conference room into a bedroom!" An olderly-looking man stated. Putting her brows together in a frown, Catherine stood up and shouted, "Can you all just shut up!" When the room became quiet as everyone stared at her, Catherine smiled widely and mumbled, "Thank you!" Then she sat back down, yawned, andid her head back on the table. A stunning elderly-looking woman gazed at Mr. Barlow and softly intoned, "Your granddaughter''s behavior is uneptable." "This is not like her." Mr. Barlow mumbled, ring at Richard. For a few minutes, he stared at him with one thought on his mind, ''Did he do something to make Catherine act this way?'' After staring at his grandson for another few two minutes and seeing no reaction of fear or nervousness from him, he swayed his attention to Catherine, and a frown crossed his face. ''Or is she acting this way to make me think Richard did something to her so I can give the position to her?'' Mr. Barlow thought with a trace of anger in his eyes. Then he stared at Catherine for a brief while with only one question on his mind, ''Is she ying us as Jeff said?'' After wandering in his head for a while, he snapped out of his thoughts and realized that the board members were staring intensely at him. "Catherine!" Mr. Barlow shouted, pping the table. When she didn''t respond or get up, he frowned and said, "You guys can go ahead and vote!" Suddenly feeling uneasy and a bit nervous, Rome texted Catherine, "How''re things going?" When she didn''t answer after a few minutes had gone by, he felt his awful gut feeling getting stronger. So without any hesitation, he woke from the couch and left the office, heading straight for the conference room. It took a while for all the board members to ce in their votes, and realizing that Catherine had zero votes, Mr. Barlow stood to his feet and said, "My grandson will ascend to his uncle position." Then he looked at Catherine and said, "Your cousin has gotten the position so you can stop the act now." But when she didn''t respond, Mr. Barlow assumed that she was overwhelmed with shame and that''s why she wasn''t replying. So he turned to leave, but the room door suddenly opened and Rome walked inside. When he saw Catherine''s head resting on the table, he scowled at Mr. Barlow and coldly asked, "Why is my wife like that!" "Because she still ying her role. Maybe after we leave she will have the face to get up." Mr. Barlow sarcastically said. Ignoring his response, Rome rushed over to Catherine, tapped her on the arm, and mumbled, "Are you feeling under the weather?" When Catherine didn''t reply, he stared back at Mr. Barlow and frowned. Then he ced his finger to her nose and realized that she was still breathing. At that moment, Catherine slowly raised her eyelids halfway, stared at him, and mumbled, "I don''t feel good." Even though the anger Rome felt was causing his heart to pound, he kept it together and immediately lifted Catherine from the chair, securing his grips on her legs and arms. Afterward, Rome carried her to the door. Then he stopped looked at Mr. Barlow and said, "Catherine was fine this morning. She didn''t look sick or anything, and now she''s like this, and you think she''s what, acting! Are you sick in the head!" "Who do you think you are talking to, you useless fool!" Mr. Barlow shouted, feeling a bit afraid that he might have read into things wrongly. With his icy gaze fixed directly on Mr. Barlow''s eyes, Rome coldly uttered, "Pray that nothing happens to her, or else¡­" Then he turned around and walked out of the room, striving to restrain all of his emotions. But when Catherine suddenly clutched onto his shirt and whispered, "I feel drowsy," Rome''s eyes got wet, and he mumbled, "I shouldn''t have let you walk into that room alone." The conference room was silent for a while since everyone was shocked about how Rome had talked to Mr. Barlow, but no one was more surprised than him. "Why did I feel like a lower being just now when he spoke?" Mr. Barlow mumbled beneath his breath. Then he nced at Richard and thought, ''Could it be Catherine wasn''t acting?'' Chapter 112 Chapter 112 When the realization that Catherine might not be faking settled in, Mr. Barlow rushed out of the room. A looked of worry cloud Richard''s eyes as he watched the door shut closed behind his grandfather. Then he swayed his attention to the coffee mug, sitting on the table. A sense of relief coursed through Mr. Barlow when he caught up with Rome and Catherine at the elevator. "We should take her home, and I will call doctor Len to attend to her." Mr. Barlow said as the door open. Ignoring him, Rome walked into the elevator, and even though he was annoyed by Rome''s attitude, Mr. Barlow followed him inside. After the door closed, Rome looked at him and said, "I''m taking my wife to the hospital." "What''s wrong with doctor Len?" Mr. Barlow asked, striving not to lose his temper. "Nothing. But I don''t trust my wife in the care of anyone close to you people!" "What! We are her family!" "Sure! But even strangers treat her better than you all do. I have been in that household for two years, and you guys have not once treated her like she is one of your!" Silence followed after his remark. Then Rome stared down at Catherine and said, "But that''s a good thing because she''s nothing like any of you," "What nonsense are you spitting out now!" Mr. Barlowshed out. "She''s the only one with a warm heart." "And we don''t?" "Exactly." A frown settled upon Mr. Barlow''s face. But he kept silent, realizing that he couldn''te up with a reply to Rome''s statement. A few minutester, they got outside of the building, and as Rome was about to carry Catherine to her vehicle, Mr. Barlow said, "Let''s take my car. You are in no state to drive." Just for a second, Rome hesitated. Then he walked over to the ck limousine, and after the driver had opened the door, he rested Catherine on the car seat before entering the vehicle. Finally, after Mr. Barlow had gotten into the front seat, the driver took his ce behind the steering wheel and drove off. It took a brief while for them to get to the nearest hospital, and fifteen minutes after they arrived, Catherine was rushed into a medical room while Mr. Barlow and Rome waited patiently in the waiting room. Staring at the hands on the wall clock, Rome was slowly losing his grips on his emotions, and he was bing desperate for answers about his wife. Even though it had been only ten minutes since Catherine was taking into the medical room, he felt restless, and as that feeling grew, he stood from the bench and started pacing back and forth. Seeing the stress in Rome''s expression, Mr. Barlow hesitated for a moment and said, "You truly love her." Out of anger, Rome frowned and harshly stated, "Of course. What do you think!" "That you only wanted to be with my granddaughter because of our family money." "Your wealth is nothing to me." "What is that supposed to mean!" At that moment, the doctor approached them, disrupting their conversation. "How''s my wife?" Rome hastily inquired with worry in his eyes. "Can we talk in my office?" The doctor gently asked. "Yes," "Good, pleasee this way." Without any hesitation, Mr. Barlow and Rome walked after the doctor, and a few minutester, they arrived at his office. Closing the door behind him, Rome took a deep breath to calm himself. Then he turned to the doctor and waited for him to take a seat behind his desk before asking, "Is my wife okay?" "Yes, she''s fine now. But I want to ask if¡­ well if she is a drug user." The doctor said, staring at Rome and Mr. Barlow. "No!" Rome firmly uttered as anger spiked in his eyes. Frowning, Mr. Barlow looked directly at the doctor and asked, "What are you saying?" "Well, we found a trace of GHB in her blood, and from her reaction, she might have consumed a bit much because a slightly higher dose makes you act like you are drunk and feel drowsy and dizzy, and that''s the symptoms she had." The doctor calmly exined. Drunk with rage, Rome clutched his fists so tightly that he felt his nails in the skin of his palms. It took a while for him to get a grip on his anger. After he got in control of his emotions again, Rome looked at Mr. Barlow and asked, "Did Catherine drink or eat anything in the conference room?" In annoyance, Mr. Barlow firmly uttered, "What?" "Did she!" "A coffee. That''s what she drank!" The force Rome spoke with and the authority in his tone had Mr. Barlow feeling inferior, and for some reason, he couldn''t snap out of it. "Catherine didn''t eat anything after breakfast and she left the house fine. So that means someone mess with her coffee!" Rome mumbled, feeling a vortex of anger swelling in him. "That is possible since GHB looks like water and it has no smell." The doctor exined, hoping to aid in the situation. Feeling confused, Mr. Barlow frowned and angrily uttered, "But who could do something like this?" "That''s for you to find out," Rome said, ring at him. Although he wanted so desperately to call Mr. Ondo and have him figure it out, he also wish for Mr. Barlow to be the one to find out the truth on his own, so he could finally see things clearly for Catherine''s sake. "Right, I will call Greg to send me the security cameras footage from the conference room, so I can get an image of thedy who served us our drinks. Then we can get the police to question her." Mr. Barlow said, pulling his phone from his pocket. When he was on the phone with the head of security from thepany, the doctor gazed at Rome and asked, "Do you want to see your wife. She should be awake by now." "Yes," Rome replied. The doctor then picked up his phone and made a call. A few minutester, the door opened, and a nurse walked into the room. She was then ordered by the doctor to take Rome and Mr. Barlow to see Catherine. With a friendly smile on her face, the nurse look at both of them and said, "Please follow me." Then she walked out of the room with Mr. Barlow and Rome following her. When they got to the medical room, a smile curved on Catherine''s lip when she and Rome locked eyes. At that moment, a feeling of relief washed over him as he sniffed to stopped himself from crying. But his tears rebelled against him, and a few drops rolled from the corner of his eyes. Then he walked over to the bed, sat beside Catherine, took her hands in his, and softly uttered, "Do you still feel dizzy? Does anywhere on your body hurt?" "Not really. I''m feeling like myself again." Catherine said, slowly rubbing her fingers against his. After Mr. Barlow got off the phone with Greg, he gazed at Catherine and felt ashamed to stare her in the eyes. "I''m sorry. I have no excuse for the way that I acted in there." Mr. Barlow said with his focus on the Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. floor. "It''s fine, grandfather. " Catherine mumbled with a sad smile on her lips. After a few minutes had gone by, Mr. Barlow''s phone buzzed in his pocket. So he took it out and click on the message he got. In his message inbox, the was a video sent to him from Greg, and without any hesitation, he clicked on it. Even though he watched the part about the worker serving them drinks, he was curious about what happened after he left the conference room, so he kept skipping through the video until he reached the part when he walked out the door. For a moment, Mr. Barlow stared nkly at the screen. Then a frown crossed his face, and anger glowed in his eyes. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 At six o''clock, Mr. Barlow''s limousine drove into the yard, and just a few distances behind it was Catherine''s Sedan. Both cars came to a stop in the garage, and Rome got down from the Sedan. Then Mr. Barlow and Catherine got out of his limousine. Afterward, they headed into the mansion, and Mr. Barlow went into the living room while Rome escorted Catherine upstairs to their bedroom. When Richard''s gaze met with his grandfather''s eyes, he felt his heart missed a beat as Mr. Barlow walked directly to him, and then he stopped a step away from Richard. "Why did you take the mug?" Mr. Barlow coldly asked in a fit of anger. "What mug?" Richard nervously mumbled. "Don''t y stupid with me!" "I don''t know what you are talking about grandfather!" Everyone else in the room looked confused about Mr. Barlow''s words, and giving in to her curiosity, Madam Rosey asked, "What are you talking about?" "Catherine got drugged today, and the coffee mug that she drank from, Richard took it out of the conference room. So now, what I want to know is, ''why!" Mr. Barlow asked, ring at his grandson. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. A frown swept across Jeff''s face, realizing that his brother had messed up. Overwhelmed with anger, Edward looked at Richard andshed out, "Can''t you guys just let my daughter be! What has she done to have you all attacking her from every angle!" "I didn''t pay someone to drug Catherine," Richard boldly said, standing from the couch. Sighing softly, Jeff slightly shook his head, feeling disappointed in his brother''s reckless choice of words. "I did not say you paid someone to drug her." Mr. Barlow coldly uttered. At this point, everyone''s eyes were on him, and Richard felt pressure by all the stares, but he wasn''t willing to crack just yet. Keeping a straight face, Richard walked past Mr. Barlow and then said, "I assumed that that is what you were specting." "That was a precise assumption. Don''t you think?" Mr. Barlow angrily asked, turning around to face him. "Look. I feel bad that Catherine got drugged. But I didn''t do what you are clearly using me of." "Why take the mug then!" "It was pretty, and I liked it. So I took it." The fact that his grandson was making a fool out of him was enraging Mr. Barlow, and yet he couldn''t do a thing because the employee that served them that morning was nowhere to be found. Also, since his family had suffered such tragic humiliations in the past, he didn''t want to get the police involved, knowing that it would just damage their family reputation even further. "Do not take me as a fool, Richard!" Mr. Barlowshed out. "I could never! What I say is the truth, grandfather. I''m not the one behind Catherine getting drugged." Richard casually said. Even though he acted with a carefree attitude, he was feeling tense from all the questions, and he knew he had to get out of there, or else he would crack. So, he ignored his grandfather''s angry eyes and headed for the doorway. But as he was about to walk out of the living room, his way was blocked by Rome. A half-smile surface on Richard''s face, and he moved his lips to speak. But his words got stuck in his head when suddenly, Rome''s fist viciously met with his right cheek, sending him a few steps back into the living room. With rage burning in his eyes, Rome rushed for Richard''s shirt, cored him, and dragged him toward the wall before mming his back into the solid concrete. "How dare you hurt my wife!" Rome roared in his face. Everyone else looked afraid as they watched Rome pressed Richard against the wall beforending a blow in his stomach. "Ha...ve you lo-st yo¡­ mind¡­" Richard mumbled, coughing aggressively as he tried to pushed Rome off him. In a fit of rage, Jeff got off the couch and approached Rome from the back. But when he was only two steps away, Rome let go of Richard and turned around. Then without holding back, he swung his foot at Jeff, stepping him in his stomach and causing him to lose his bnce and dropped to the floor,nding hard on his butt. "My wife is not to be tempered with!" Rome shouted, clutching his fist. With pride in his eyes, Edward smiled as he stared at Rome, feeling a bit d that Catherine was married to someone who could stand up for her. As fear beamed in her eyes, Madam Rosey whispered to her husband, "He has finally lost his mind. What should we do?" "Nothing," Mr. Barlow mumbled. "What, but¡­" "He did exactly what I wanted to do to Richard." "Honey¡­" "It''s time to see the truth, Rosey. There''s no honest soul in this house other than our granddaughter, Catherine." "What do you mean?" After picking himself off the floor, Jeff scowled at Rome andshed out, "You will regret this!" Staring Jeff dead in his eyes, Rome glowered and said, "The only one who will have regrets is anyone of you who doesn''t stay the hell away from my wife!" Then he red at Richard for a moment before storming out of the room. "Who does he think he is to threaten us!" Anthony shouted in anger. "Don''t you think his behavior is strange?" His wife mumbled as she stared at him with worry in her eyes. "There is nothing strange about his behavior! He''s just a mad fool who has forgotten his ce in this family!" "But..." Ignoring his wife, Anthony stared at his father and angrily uttered, "Did you see what your useless grandson-inw has done to my son and the bruises that he left on him! How do you n to deal with that loser!" "I will be doing nothing of such!" Mr. Barlow said, frowning at Anthony. "This is uneptable! He is supposed to sleep in prison!" "So does your son. But, he''s lucky that our family reputation is at stake, or else I would have tossed him in a filthy cell, so he can pound on his wrongdoings!" The living room fell silent after Mr. Barlow''s remark. Then he took in a deep breath and said, "I have an announcement to make at dinner. So I need everyone at the table by nine." Afterward, Mr. Barlow walked out of the room, and even though he didn''t state why he needed everyone at dinner, they knew what he was going to say. The bathroom door opened, and Catherine walked into the bedroom. When she saw the state Rome was in, she walked over to the bed, sat down, and asked, "What''s troubling your mind?" "How do you feel about us moving out of here and getting a ce of our own?" Rome asked, raising his head to meet her eyes. "What?" "I don''t want what happened today to repeat itself, and I''m worried that it might happen again." Not knowing what to say, Catherine kept quiet, and Rome waited for a while, then when a few minutes passed without her answering, he realized that that wasn''t what she wanted. So he sighed and mumbled, "Forget what I said." Finally getting over her shock, a look of excitement sparkled in Catherine''s eyes, but as she was about to speak, the sound of a gentle knock echoed into the room, so she left the bed. When Catherine opened the door, she stared at the maid and softly uttered, "What is it?" "Your grandfather request your presence at the dining table." The maid humbly replied. "Tell him we will be down soon." "Okay," After the maid left, Catherine stared at Rome and said, "How about dinner, and then we can talk afterward." "Sure," Rome mumbled, waking from the bed. A few minutester, he and Catherine walked into the dining hall and took their seat at the table. When Catherine saw Richard''s bruised face, she looked at Rome for a moment before looking at her grandfather. "Now that you all are here, I want to make an announcement!" Mr. Barlow said, standing to his feet. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 After gazing at everyone''s faces, Mr. Barlow firmly said, "I have finallye to the decision that Catherine will be the family''s top inheritor." The dining room fell silent, and even though no one was shocked about Mr. Barlow''s announcement, only a few people felt happy about the news, and that was Madam Rosey, Edward, Catherine''s mother, Mr. Barlow, and Rome. Although Catherine wanted to feel happy, she was still processing the reality that she had just gotten what she always wanted. "Richard will be revoked from Elijah''s position, and Catherine will take his seat among the board of directors." Mr. Barlow calmly uttered, ring at his grandson. After a few seconds of staring coldly at Richard, he looked at Catherine and said, "I will call Mr. Quincy tonight and have him get all the legal documents ready. Hopefully by tomorrow we can make it official.". Finally, reality settled in, and Catherine felt an overwhelming feeling of excitement coursing through her. Then she looked at Rome for a moment before doubtfully staring back at her grandfather and saying, "To make it clear, I''m not divorcing my husband. So if there is any weird requr¡­" "I personally still think that you could do better than him." Mr. Barlow said in annoyance. "Grandfather," "But since you are the only one among your cousins who still has a conscience and ispetent to my expectation, I can overlook that you are married to a nobody." Without uttering a word, Jeff suddenly stood up. Then he glowered at Catherine before walking out of the dining room, and hastily leaving his seat, Richard followed his brother. When both brothers got upstairs and arrived in Jeff''s room, Jeff turned around, scowled at Richard, and twenty minutes, and everyone would have assumed that she was just acting!" "I instructed Berta to put only a small amount in the coffee as you told me to," Richard mumbled beneath his breath. "Well, clearly she didn''t and messed up the n! Also, what were you thinking, taking the damn mug!" "I didn''t want to leave evidence behind!" Staring at his brother in disbelief, Jeff sighed and said, "This is what I get for allowing an amateur to do something important." There was a brief pause. Then Richard asked, "What now?" "I will handle things myself." Jeff absentmindedly said. "What does that supposed to mean?" "Nothing. Now get out!" A hint of fear spiked in Richard''s eyes as he stared at his brother for a moment before walking out of the room. Even though Rome tried not to get bothered by how Jeff and Richard left the table, he couldn''t, and every time he looked at Catherine, he felt even more worried. Resting her fork on the te, Catherine raised her brows and mumbled, "Can we do the document signing in the evening? I have to attend the conference with Mr. Ford tomorrow morning." Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "Sure," Mr. Barlow said, feeling a sense of relief again as he realized that Catherine was definitely the right choice. After smiling softly at her grandfather, Catherine unintentionally gazed at her grandmother, and Madam Rosey thought it was time to speak what was on her mind. "I''m proud of you, dear. Your grandfather is not wrong for giving you the position as this family''s top inheritor because you work for it and deserve it." Madam Rosey said, grinning at her granddaughter. Those words brought tears to Catherine''s eyes because at the end of the day all she ever wanted was for her grandparents to see her potential. Swaying her attention off Madam Rosey, Catherine stared at Rome and softly smiled. Although it didn''t show in his expression as he gazed at her, he felt nervous that the time hade for him to be honest with her and tell her the truth. After dinner was over and they went back to their room, Catherine shut the door. Then she gazed at Rome and when he noticed her staring, he mumbled, "What is it?" "I saw the bruises. Richard was responsible for what happened to me today, right?" Catherine asked without taking her eyes off him. "Yes," "And that''s why you want us to move because you are worry about my safety." When Rome nodded, Catherine softly smiled as she walked away from the door. Then she sat down beside Rome, looked him in his eyes, and said, "Having a ce of our own without any drama sounds amazing." "Are you saying what I think you are saying?" Rome said with a sparkle of excitement in his eyes. "Yes. Let''s move out. But we can break the news to the family the day after tomorrow." "Okay," With a look of hesitation in his eyes, Rome took a deep breath, and was about to tell her who his true identity was when Catherine suddenly said, "We could tell them tomorrow..." Then she slightly frowned and mumbled, "But it''s going to bring up contradicting feelings, and I just don''t want anything ruining my mood because I want to wholeheartedly feel happy tomorrow for aplishing what I have always dreamt of." Pausing for a moment, Rome calmly stared at her and thought, ''Then I will tell you the day after tomorrow.'' With her eyes fixed on his, Catherine slightly giggled with tears in her eyes and said, "I have you to thank for me getting this far." "Umm?" Rome mumbled, snapping out of his head. "Thanks for being a supportive partner and for not allowing me to give up." "Of course, you are my wife. I''m always going to be there for you through thick and thin." By eleven o''clock, Catherine was sound asleep in Rome''s arm, but he couldn''t find sleep because still feeling troubled about what had happened to her. So after listening to the silence in the room for a while, Rome reached for his phone and texted his father, "Can you send someone to pick up Catherine tomorrow and have securities detailing her car." After a few minutes had passed, his phone buzzed, and when he gazed at the text, "Sure," on his screen, he finally felt sleep overtaking him. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 There was a knock on the front door of the Barlow''s mansion, and when Susanna opened it, she questionably stared at an older-looking gentleman standing on the balcony. "Good morning, I''m here to pick up Miss Catherine." The fellow said with a gentle smile. "Okay, but how should I address you when I''m passing the message on?" Susanna asked. "Tell her that I''m Romney, one of Mr. Ford drivers, and he sent me to pick her up and take her to the conference." "Okay, please wait here." After shutting the door, Susanna walked away, heading upstairs, and when she got to thest stair, she bumped into Jeff. "I am so sorry," Susanna hastily said. "Why are you in a rush!" Jeffshed out in annoyance. "Well, Mr. Ford sent someone to pick Miss Catherine up, and I''m on my way to tell her. I''m sorry again." "Hmm," Walking past her, Jeff frowned as he thought, ''Catherine isn''t taking her Sedan,'' Then he pulled his phone out of his pocket as he continued heading down the stairs. "Babe, professional workwear, smart casual, work-appropriate attire, or formal?" Catherine asked, staring at Rome. For a moment, he gazed at all the clothes she had ced on the bed, and he knew she would look great in all of them. But he also understood that she wasn''t going to decide even if he told her she would look great in any one of them because he could see how indecisive she looked, so he smiled and said, "Formal," Withdrawing her focus off Rome, Catherine gazed at her ck suit with a grey silk tank top, smiled, and said, "I guess we got a winner." At that moment, Susanna knocked twice on the door and then waited. "I will get it," Rome said, getting off the bed. Then he walked over to the door, opened it, and asked, "What''s up, Sus?" "There''s a guy name, ''Romney,'' who imed that Mr. Ford sent him to pick up, Miss Catherine." Susanna gently uttered. Overhearing their discussion, Catherine stared at Rome''s broad back and mumbled, "Mr. Ford did what?" "He sends someone to pick you up," Rome said, feeling relief as he stared back at her. With a look of hesitation in her eyes, Catherine mumbled, "Oh, but I was nning on driving my car¡­" "Well, we can''t send the driver back, can we?" "It will be rude to do so, but are you okay with it?" "Yes, I am." In that instant, Catherine''s phone buzzed, and she hastily picked it up, seeing that it was Mr. Ford calling. After answering, his voice flowed into her ear, "Good morning, I apologize for the sudd¡­" "It''s nothing to apologize for, and it''s truly fine." Catherine calmly intoned. "That''s good then. See you a few minutes from now." "Okay, and thank you." Once Mr. Ford had ended the call, Catherine gazed at Rome and said, "I should get ready." A few minutester, Catherine came downstairs, fully dressed, and two steps behind her was Rome. As they were walking past the living room, Mr. Barlow''s voice caused them to stop in their tracks, "Good morning, dear!" With a nk expression on her face, Catherine walked into the living room, feelingpletely shocked that her grandfather greeted her first. "Good morning, grandfather and grandmother," Catherine said, staring at the gentle smile on Madam Rosey''s lip. "So Mr. Ford sent someone to pick you up," Mr. Barlow said with pride in his eyes. "Yes," "That''s amazing!" Hearing the excitement in her grandfather''s voice, Catherine looked at him, and when their eyes met, Mr. Barlow said, "Don''t forget that you are a Barlow, and you will be representing the family today at that conference, so be at your best behavior." "Of course," Catherine said, trying not to sound annoyed. Silence followed after her remark, and Rome saw it as an opportunity to greet Mr. Barlow and Madam Rosey, so he gently said, "Good morning¡­" "Mr. Ford is really generous to our dear Catherine. Imagine if he had a son, won''t that be perfect for our granddaughter." Madam Rosey boldly uttered, giving Rome an icy stare. Widening his eyes, Rome slowly scratched behind his ear before looking the other way. "Grandma," Catherine mumbled in annoyance. "Your grandfather might have given in to your idea of you staying married to him, but I can''t stand his rebellious attitude." "Grandmother¡­" "How can he be so arrogant when he''s worth nothing! Did you see what he did to your cousin?" "Don''t you know what my cousin did to me!" Frowning, Madam Rosey red at Rome and mumbled, "I have no excuse for what Richard did. But your husband''s attitude was barbarian! It''s just proof of how much ss hecks, and I''m worried that he wouldn''t be able to represent you in public." "You don''t have to worry about me, grandmother. I''m capable of making a sound decision." After her remark, Catherine looked at Rome. Then both of them walked away, leaving Madam Rosey staring furiously behind them. When Rome and Catherine arrived outside, a frown crossed his face when he saw Jeff waiting by the front door. "Good luck on your conference, cousin," Jeff said, reaching out to pat Catherine on her shoulder. But Rome gently pulled Catherine to his left, securing her in his arm, and walked away with her. "Good morning, Si¡­ Miss." Romney hastily said as he stared away from Rome and focus on Catherine. Then she softly smiled at him and said, "Good morning." Without any hesitation, Romney opened the back door of the SUV for Catherine. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. But as she was about to get into the backseat of the car, she turned around, looked into Rome''s eyes, and tiptoed to reached his height before resting her lips against his and kissing him gently. After their lips parted, she smiled and said, "I love you." Then she got into the car, and Romney shut the door behind her. "Get her to that conference safely," Rome mumbled beneath his breath. "Yes, sir!" Romney whispered before rushing to the driver''s door and getting behind the steering wheel. With his eyes focused on the ck SUV, Rome watched it drive away. Afterward, he walked back to the mansion, and when he got to the door, he stopped and stared at Jeff. For a moment, both men coldly stared at each other. Then Rome walked into the house, mming the door close. It was exactly eleven-thirty when the noise from his ringtone cause Rome to pick his phone from off the bed. Then he smiled as he stared at the screen, answered the call, and silently listen. After a few seconds had gone by, the smile on Rome''s face faded, and fear clouded his eyes. Then he jumped off the bed, hastily wore his shoes, and ran out of the room. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 When Rome got downstairs, he saw Edward walking towards him, but he marched straight past him without uttering a word and left the mansion. Puzzled by Rome''s behavior, Edward headed into the living room, and when he saw Mr. Barlow and Madam Rosey, he couldn''t stop himself from asking, "Did something happen?" "No," Mr. Barlow mumbled with his focus on his newspaper. When Madam Rosey saw her son staring at her, she calmly uttered, "Why did you ask?" "Well, I just saw Rome. He looked stressed and was leaving in a rush." Edward mumbled, recalling the look of distress he saw in Rome''s eyes. "I don''t concern myself with matters of someone who doesn''t matter." "Right," Still feeling uneasy about Rome''s appearance, Edward took a seat on the couch. It took a while. Then Mr. Barlow''s phone buzzed on the couch, so he rested his newspaper on the table, picked up his phone, and answered the call. After listening in silence for a few minutes, Mr. Barlow''s eyes grew dull, and he immediately stood from his seat, causing his wife and son''s attention to draw to him. They both impatiently waited for him to get off the line, and when he finally did, Madam Rosey asked, "What happened?" "We need to get the entire family down to Silver Crest hospital." Mr. Barlow anxiously said. "Wait, what? Why?" "Because Catherine is there! Apparently, the SUV she was in got run over by a micro truck." Immediately, Edward stood to his feet with a look of fear in his eyes. Then his trembling hand covered his mouth as he tried to get controlled over his emotions. With moist eyes, Madam Rosey stood to her feet, took out her phone, and made a call to Chloe. When her granddaughter answered, she said, "You and Dash need to get to Silver Chest Hospital now." "Why? Is my grandfather ill?" Chloe''s voice echoed in her ear. "No, Catherine was involved in an ident." This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "Oh. Okay, we will be there." Theck of emotion in Chloe''s voice totally shocked Madam Rosey. But she ignored it and ended the call. At that moment, William came into the living room, and he immediately froze, seeing the look of devastation on everyone''s faces. "What''s going on?" William asked, staring at his father. "Catherine was involved in an ident." Mr. Barlow answered as he strolled through his phone for Elijah''s number. "Catherine was involved in a what?" Anthony asked from the doorway before walking into the living room. Swaying his attention away from his mother, William looked at his brother and said, "An ident." With a deadpan expression, Anthony asked, "How bad is it?" "I don''t know. One of the staff from the hospital called me to inform me about the ident, but they didn''t include the state she''s in." Mr. Barlow hastily uttered as he dialed Elijah''s number. Then when his call got answered, he said, "You and your wife need to get to Silver Chest Hospital." "Why?" Elijah''s cold voice echoed from the speakers. "Catherine was involved in an ident, and she''s there!" "So!" "She''s your niece..." "Was," Frowning, Mr. Barlowshed out, "If words get out about her ident, the press is going to get involved, and after ruining our image in the public eyes so many time, it''s time to act like family. And this will help our image!" "I''m not a Barlow, remember." Elijah casually said from the other end of the call. "I don''t care! Just get to the hospital and act like one! We can''t afford more rumors spreading about us! " "That seems like your problem." With a touch of rage in his eyes, Mr. Barlowshed out, "I haven''t cut Chloe ties with the family name yet. Push me, and I will!" "Fine, I and Dina are on our way!" Elijah''s harsh voice echoed into his father''s ears. After Mr. Barlow had hung off the call, Richard and Jeff entered the living room, and noticing the sadness in Edward''s eyes, Jeff calmly asked, "What''s going on?" "Catherine was involved in an ident," Anthony said, questionably staring at his son. Staring in shock at his father, Richard asked, "What! How?" "A truck ran into their SUV." Mr. Barlow said, putting his phone into his pocket. With a shaky smile on her lips, Catherine''s mother walked into the living room and nervously asked, "Who car got hit by a truck?" "The SUV that Catherine was in." Jeff casually said. Seeing the tears swelling in his wife''s eyes, Edward said, "Let''s not think the worst, okay. We should get to the hospital first." "A truck ran into their car, Edward, and I''m supposed to stay calm!" Catherine''s mothershed out as her body trembled. At this point, her face was wet with tears, and she had lost control of her breathing. Then with hate in her eyes, she looked at Jeff and Richard before focusing on William, Elijah, and Anthony. Their only thought on her mind was that one of them made that ident happen, knowing that eliminating Catherine would open the way for someone else to be the family''s top inheritor. "We should get going." Mr. Barlow finally said, taking in a deep breath. "Where are we going?" Charles asked, walking into the living room. "To the hospital?" "Who''s sick?" "No one. Catherine was involved in an ident." Keeping his silence, Charles sneered and thought, ''I guess another opportunity has opened up.'' A few minutester, all of them had got into their separate vehicles and drove out of the yard. An hourter, their cars came to a stop one after the other in the parking lot of Silver Crest hospital. Then they got down from their vehicles, and a look of satisfaction clouded Mr. Barlow''s eyes as he stared at Dash, Chloe, Elijah, and Dana getting out of their cars. Without saying a word to each other, they all headed into the hospital. Pacing back and forth in the Silver Crest hospital private waiting room, Rome rubbed the back of his hand against his nose and sniffed. Then he stared at his phone, and at that moment, it began to ring, and he immediately answered the call, resting the phone on his ear. "Father," Rome mumbled, sensing the restless feeling he felt growing stronger. "He talked," Mr. Ford said from the other end of the call. Swaying his attention towards the waiting room door, Rome watched it open, and as he silently listened to his father speaking, his expression hardened as he watched members of the Barlow family walk into the room. After all of them entered and the door shut, Rome said, "I will call you back, father." Then he ended the call, put the phone in the back pocket of his jeans, and clenched his fists with rage zing in his eyes. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 With his eyes fixed solely on Jeff, Rome walked directly up to him and coldly said, "Didn''t I tell you to stay the hell away from my wife!" "What are you talking about?" Jeff asked with a naive expression. Staring coldly at him, Rome let out a bitterugh. Then he turned his back to Jeff for a second before suddenly turning around and striking him in the nose. "I told you Catherine was not to be tempered with!" Romeshed out. Feeling a warm liquid rolling from his nostril, down his mouth, Jeff felt infuriated, and giving in to his anger, he threw a punch, but Rome caught his fist before blowing the left side of his nose. "Stop!" Madam Rosey cried in fear as she watched blood dripped from Jeff''s nostril. Ignoring her, Rome forcefully twisted Jeff''s fist as he was trying to get over his nose pain, and with hurt in his eyes, Jeff screamed, hearing the sound of his bone crack. "I don''t like repeating myself!" Rome coldly uttered as the anger in his eyes glowed brighter. Then he let go of Jeff''s hand, and even though he still felt like beating the crap out of him, he tried to get his emotions under control, and let him be. However, Jeff felt too humiliated to back down, so he rushed for Rome, formed a fist with his left hand, and threw it at Rome''s jaw, knocking him in the cheekbone. Without holding back, Rome grabbed him by his shirt, almost tearing the cor, and swung him to the floor, forcefully knocking him down on the cold tiles. Then he clenched his fingers into a fist and raised his arm, pausing for a moment as he stared coldly into Jeff''s eyes. "Don''t you understand the word ''stop,'' you fool!" Mr. Barlowshed out. "What! Have you lose your damn mind, you worthless idiot!" William shouted. Scowling, Chloe rudely uttered, "Get your filthy hands off him, loser!" "Did you be stupider than before!" Charles yelled in a fit of rage. With a touch of anger in his eyes, Richard coldly uttered, "You are eager to sleep in jail, ain''t you!" ying deaf to their remark, Rome viciouslynded his fist in Jeff''s cheek and coldly uttered, "Stay down, or else I will hurt you really bad, and nothing wille out of it!" "Who do you think you are to threaten my son!" Anthonyshed out. Keeping his distance and silence, Dash frowned and thought, ''If only you all knew,'' Taking in a deep breath, Rome stood up. Then he stared at Anthony and coldly said, "I''m Rome, Rome Ford." The waiting room fell silent, and everyone looked at Rome like he had just said something dumb. "Right, and I''m Santa us!" Charles rudely uttered with a frown. In annoyance, Madam Rosey scowled and angrily intoned, "I''m calling the police. Your rebellious attitude has gone too far." In that instant, Mr. Ondo and K walked into the waiting room, and it suddenly grew quiet. "What are you guys doing here?" Rome calmly uttered. "Are you okay?" Ondo humbly asked, noticing the bloodstain on Rome''s knuckles. A look of disbelief crossed everyone''s faces because they knew Mr. Ondo to be Mr. Ford''s right-hand man, and the humble manner in which he spoke to Rome sent chills down their spines. "I''m fine. But why you are both here?" Rome asked, staring at his bruised knuckles. "Well, umm¡­" K mumbled, pausing when he saw Mr. Ford walking into the room. Raising his brows, Mr. Ford stared at the faces in the room. Then he gazed at Rome and said, "I thought you were alone." At that moment, his gaze rested on the cut on Rome''s cheek, and he subconsciously asked, "What happened to your face?" "It''s nothing, Father," Rome said, brushing his palm over his cheek. Wrinkles formed on Mr. Ford''s forehead as he stared at Rome, feeling shocked that his son finally acknowledged him in front of the Barlows. Then he smiled and said, "That''s good to hear." Speechless, Madam Rosey''s eyes frozen open as the reality finally settled in that Rome was Mr. Ford''s son, and she forgot how to breathe for a moment. "Wait a minute! He''s a Ford?" Chloe asked as her face became pale. Narrowing his eyes at Chloe, Mr. Ford red at her and said, "Yes, he''s my only son and my sole heir." A nervousugh escaped her lip when she realized that her cousin was actually married to the son of the wealthiest man in the country. But then tears suddenly welled up in her eyes, knowing that she wasn''t the one married to Rome but Catherine was. When his gaze unintentionally met Rome''s eyes, Anthony gave a rictus grin. Then he stared down at the floor, feeling even more intimidated by Rome''s presence, now that he knew who he was. "I can''t believe how stupid I was for being so close and yet so far from the truth!" Jeff mumbled as severe pain ripped through him while he tried to get off the floor. After bncing himself on his feet, he gave a bitterugh and said, "It''s been you all along! You are the one behind the disasters in our family!" Understanding what his nephew meant, Elijah felt consumed with rage, and giving in to his emotions, he clenched his fist, and shouted, "You bastard!" Then he swung his fist at Rome. But K hastily caught Elijah''s wrist in his grip, and then spun him around, and tightly locked his hand behind his back. "Keep your paws to yourself and off my boss!" K coldly whispered into his ear. With anger burning in his eyes, Mr. Ford glowered at Elijah and coldly uttered, "Watch what you say to my son! He''s the only reason all of you are not beggars on the street because if it was up to me, I would have sunk you all to the bottom of the pit." As a sense of fear overtook him, Elijah felt beads of sweat on his face. Then he squeezed his eyes shut. "You were the one who made me lose everything!" Elijah mumbled while crying because he knew that Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. he had been messing with the wrong person all this while. "You all dug your own grave, I simply buried you guys in it." Rome casually said without any remorse in his eyes. Silence followed his remark. Then Edward slightly shook his head, trying toe to terms with the fact that his son-inw is someone with great power. ''No one is more right for your daughter than me. You should keep that in mind.'' Rome''s words echoed into Edward''s head, making him finally understand what Rome meant that morning of Chloe''s wedding. ''I have been against my daughter''s sess this entire time.'' Edward thought, feeling overwhelmed with shame. Then he gazed at Rome and doubtfully mumbled, "Why my daughter?" "Because my wife is pretty amazing, and like I told you before, as her husband I''m going to support her." Hearing Rome call Catherine his wife, Mr. Barlow finally understood that his granddaughter was married to a Ford, and she was actually the daughter-inw of Mr. Ford. When that realization settled inpletely, Mr. Barlow felt difort in his stomach, chest pain, and out of breath. Then before he could utter a word, he lost consciousness and fainted. As he was about to fall to the ground, Rome caught him in his arms. Looking at Mr. Ondo, Rome said, "Get medical help," "Honey," Madam Rosey shouted, awaking from her shock. Finally snapping out of her thoughts and getting control of her emotions, Catherine''s mother hastily said, "Which room is my daughter in?" "Oh, my wife is at ''Golddust Hotel,'' attending the conference." Rome calmly uttered with a faint smirk on his face. A look of shock took over the faces of all the Barlows, and with a trace of confusion in their eyes, they stared at him speechlessly. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 The Barlows were still recovering from their shock when the nurses entered the room with a stretcher. After they had attended to Mr. Barlow and rolled him out of the room with Madam Rosey following them, Catherine''s mother finally found the courage to ask, "My daughter wasn''t involved in an ident?" "No, she got to the conference safely," Rome replied, coldly eyeing Jeff. "But then the call from the hospital, and how devastated you looked when you were leaving the house..." Edward mumbled in confusion. Focusing his gaze on his father-inw, Rome said in annoyance, "Catherine wasn''t involved in an ident. But that doesn''t mean an ident didn''t happen." Then he threw Jeff a dirty look and said, "Romney was in the SUV when the truck hit. Luckily the driver ran into the car from the back door side, and Romney only sustained a few head bruises." Puzzled by Rome''s remark, Jeff frowned and mumbled beneath his breath, "But didn''t Catherine leave with this Romney guy?" With anger in his eyes, Mr. Ford sent his text to Mr. Brown before calmly walking up to Jeff. Then he met his eyes and aggressively patted his jaw continuously as he coldly uttered, "Stay out of this conversation, boy, or else you would need critical medical attention before the police take you from here. Got it?" When Mr. Ford gave Jeff thest hard pat on his red cheek, he immediately nodded with fear glowing in his eyes. ''Like father like son. I now see where Rome gets his hot temper from.'' Anthony thought without looking at Mr. Ford. For a moment, Rome stared Jeff dead in his eyes and then he said, "Do you take me as a fool?" Swallowing hard, Jeff shook his head and obediently mumbled, "No," "Well, it''s only now that you don''t because if you didn''t take me to be stupid before you wouldn''t have attempted to hurt my wife right after your brother''s attempt." Rome coldly uttered, feeling a sense of rage resurfacing again. "But how did Catherine get to the conference if the ident happened?" Elijah mumbled out loud in confusion. Swaying his gaze to Elijah, Rome scowled and said, "Five identical SUVs were detailing the vehicle Catherine was in, and Jeff''s stupid farewell greeting to her before she left, alert me." Striving not to fold his fingers into a fist, Rome angrily continued, "I made a call to Romney right after he and Catherine left the mansion and asked him to allow her to ride with Ted." Not shocked about what Rome said, Dash eyed Jeff and thought, ''Your first mistake was underestimating Rome.'' Noticing the confused look in Jeff''s eyes, Rome coldly uttered, "Then I informed Ted to take another road while the other four SUVs continued on the same route." All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Silence took over the room as Rome strived to suppress the rage he felt just by thinking about what would have happened if he didn''t make those changes. Then he paused for a moment before saying, "I knew that something was going to happen, but I didn''t know what it was until I got a call from my father that Romney was involved in an ident. That''s when I realized what your ns were for my wife." With anger in her eyes, Catherine''s mother red at Jeff and said, "You really tried to hurt my daughter!" "He didn''t try to hurt my daughter-inw, he wanted her dead!" Mr. Ford firmly uttered. Feeling desperate and afraid, Jeff mumbled, "None of this is my doing! I swear, I would never try to kill Catherine. We are blood after all!" Pulling his brows together, Mr. Ford looked at Jeff and coldly asked, "What did I tell you?" "To keep quiet," Jeff mumbled, feeling weak in his knees. "Right! And even if you do waste your energy on talking, you are not getting out of this one on your lies since the truck driver is in the custody of the police." Staring dumbfoundedly at Mr. Ford, Jeff mumbled beneath his breath, "What!" "Why do you think five cars were detailing Catherine''s car? My men were able to catch him after he caused the ident." Mr. Ford said, narrowing his eyes at him. A look of pure frustration crossed Jeff''s face, realizing that there was no window of escape for him. Hardening his face, Mr. Ford looked at his knuckles and mumbled, "I made him talk before sending him to the police." Then he locked eyes with Jeff and said, "So spare us the rubbish you are nning on saying." Suddenly, Rome''s phone buzzed, so he pulled it from his pocket, stared at the screen, and smiled. Then he turned his back to the Barlows, answered the call, and said, "Hey, wife. How''s the conference going?" Pouting, Chloe felt her heart skip a beat, hearing Rome talk so gently to Catherine, and she felt envious, knowing that the man that she had always wanted has been in front of her all along. "In the beginning, it was a little weird because I had to swap cars and Mr. Ford left a few minutes after I got here. But It''s going well now." Catherine''s voice echoed into Rome''s ear. Then he softly smiled and mumbled, "That''s good to hear," "What are you up to?" "Well, nothing." Suddenly, the door of the waiting room opened, and Mr. Brown walked into the room with a few cops behind him. When Rome saw them, he said, "Can I call you backter?" "Sure," Catherine mumbled before Rome ended the call. After waiting for Rome to put his phone away, Mr. Brown approached him and humbly said, "Good day, young Ford." ''The chief of police is here himself. My son has messed with a zing fire, and he is going to burn badly if I don''t do something.'' Anthony thought with a look of fear in his eyes. Then he stared at Rome, swallowed his pride, and calmly uttered, "I know what Jeff did was wrong, but since Catherine wasn''t hurt, can you please forgive him." Ignoring him, Rome stared at Mr. Brown and said, "Make the arrest." Without thinking for a second, Anthony dropped on his knee and cried, "Please spare my son!" Frowning, Rome looked at Dash and asked, "What did I tell you when you got down on your knees before me?" Immediately Chloe stared at her husband, scowling at him as she waited for him to say something. But Dash ignored hers and the rest of the Barlows'' stares and said, "You asked me if I would have felt regretful if I didn''t know who you were?¡± Focusing his attention on Anthony, Rome coldly said, "Can you sincerely answer that question?" With a nk expression on his face, Anthony stared at the anger in Rome''s eyes and knew that Rome wasn''t falling for his act. So he stood to his feet, keeping his silence. "You knew that Rome was Mr. Ford''s son?" Chloeshed out at Dash with rage in her eyes. Noticing how angry she looked, Dash calmly uttered, "Yes," A frown crossed Elijah, William, Anthony''s faces as they stared at Dash, and trying to avoid their gaze, he looked at Chloe. But she scowled and frustratingly uttered, "Why didn''t you tell me!" "What!" Dash mumbled, feeling confused. In frustration, Chloe pushed her hair back and thought, ''If I knew the truth I wouldn''t have stayed married to a fool like you, but would have been working to take him from Catherine.'' Swaying his attention away from Chloe, Mr. Brown gazed at one of his officers and said, "Arrest him!" Without any hesitation, the officer walked over to Jeff and grabbed his wrist. Even though he wanted to put up a fight, his body was too sour to do anything, so he allowed her to cuff his wrists. Then he obediently followed along with the officer as she led him to the door while the other policemen and Mr. Brown walked after them. However, when they were a few steps away from the door, Madam Rosey walked into the room. Immediately, she stopped, stared sadly at the handcuffs on Jeff''s hands, and asked, "What happened?" "Your grandson is under arrest for attempted murder." Mr. Brown calmly uttered. For a moment, Madam Rosey stared at Jeff and pitifully asked, "So you did it?" "Grandma, I¡­" Jeff said, pausing when he saw the look of disappointment in her eyes. In that instant, Jeff felt upset, not because he regretted what he did, but because he got caught. "Take him away," Madam Rosey said, walking past Jeff. After the police had left the room with Jeff, Rome''s expression hardened as he stared at the rest of the Barlows and said, "I''m not ying cat and mouse game with you guys anymore." Then he eyed Richard and coldly uttered, "Things just got real, and my first warning to this family is, ''Don''t cross me!'' Rule number two, ''Don''t mess with my wife.'' Is that Clear?" Chapter 119 Chapter 119 At first, no one spoke. Then Richard saw the way Rome gazed at him, and he half-heartedly mumbled, "Crystal clear." After his remark, Elijah down-heartedly uttered, "Sure." "Those are rules that I''m willing to follow," William hastily said, feeling humiliated and filled with anger, and yet he knew he couldn''t do anything about it. When the room got silent, Rome looked at Charles, and for a moment both men red at each other, then Charles took in a deep breath and half-heartedly uttered, "I can y by that rule." Smiling suddenly, Chloe looked at Rome and sweetly said, "Brother Rome, I promise not to do anything to offend you." Staring at his wife, Dash slightly shook his head, knowing exactly what she was doing, and he wasn''t the only one who did, everyone else knew what she was up to. "Never call me such a title again! I felt disgusted when you did." Rome coldly uttered with a deadpan expression. ncing away from him, Chloe pouted and mumbled, "If that is what you want." Then she unintentionally gazed at Mr. Ford, and when he threw her a hard look, she hastily stared down at the tile. Finally acknowledging Madam Rosey''s presence, Rome asked, "How''s your husband?" With a gentle expression and calm eyes, she humbly uttered, "He suffered a mild heart attack. But it''s not critical. He would be discharged today and would receive treatment from home." Feeling relief that Catherine didn''t have to get the bad news that her grandfather was hospitalized, Rome said, "That''s good to hear. Don''t worry about the hospital bill. I will cover it." "Thank you so much!" Madam Rosey said, sounding extremely grateful. Staring away from her, Rome gazed at Mr. Ford and asked, "When does the conference end?" "Three o''clock," Mr. Ford mumbled, feeling confused by his son''s question. "Can you give me a lift there?" "Sure," Focusing back on the Barlows, Rome coldly uttered, "What happened here, stays here." Then he and Mr. Ford walked out of the room with K and Mr. Ondo following them. "Do you think he''s going to tell her?" Edward mumbled to his wife. With a touch of doubt in her eyes, she said, "I think so." "What do you think she is going to say?" "I don''t know. But I hope divorce wouldn''t be something she would bring up." By two-fifty Mr. Ondo brought the car to a stop in the parking lot of the Golddust hotel. As they sat silently in the vehicle, Rome stared at his father with a look of nervousness in his eyes. "Good luck, son." Mr. Ford said, smiling faintly at Rome when he saw Catherine walking into the parking lot. "Thanks," Rome mumbled, staring away from his father. Then as he tried to open the door, Mr. Ford said, "Now that your identity is out there. How about taking over from your old man and running the business." "Sure," Rome calmly uttered. After hesitating for a moment, Rome pushed the car door open and walked up to Catherine. When their eyes met, she gently scratched her cheek as she waited for him to get closer, and when he did, she mumbled, "I was just about to call you. What are you doing here?" "I have something to say to you," Rome said, staring at the look of curiosity in her eyes. "Okay, what is it?" "Not here." At that moment Ted approached them, and Rome looked at him and then said, "Give me the key." Without any hesitation, Ted handed him the car key, and even though Catherine was shocked by that, she said nothing. "Can we go somewhere private?" Rome asked without looking at her. "Umm¡­ sure," Catherine mumbled, feeling even more curious now. But she followed Rome to the SUV, and both of them got into it. Then Rome drove out of the parking lot. The entire ride was silent, and finally, Rome drove the car on the beach. Then he turned the engine off and took a deep breath. "What is this about?" Catherine asked, staring at him. For a moment, he gazed at the ocean. Then he focused on her eyes and said, "My real name isn''t This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Rome Miller, but Rome Ford." "I don''t understand," Catherine mumbled, even though she knew what he meant. "My father is Mr. Ford, and Mr. Miller is the man who raised me after I got separated from my father when I was eight and had suffered from amnesia because of an ident." "You suffer from amnesia?" Seeing the look of concern in her eyes, Rome mumbled, "yes," "So when did you find out about your real identity?" Catherine softly asked without looking away from his eyes. It fell silent between them, and Rome took her hands in his, but her eyes remained center on him. Then with a straight face, he said, "The day of our wedding." At first, Catherine faintly smiled for a moment as she darted her eyes while staring into his. Then when his words finally sunk in, she frowned with a touch of hurt in her eyes. "But we have been married for a year and ten months," Catherine mumbled, slowly pulling her hands out of his. "I know. But¡­" Rome said, pausing as he stared at her ck expression. "Why did you wait for so long to tell me the truth?" "Because¡­" ncing away from her, Rome tried to figure out how to put his thoughts into words. At that moment a thought crossed her mind, and she felt a tightness in her chest as she stared at him. "It''s you, isn''t it?" Catherine angrily uttered with a frown. "What?" Rome mumbled, looking at her. "The things Jeff said I did, you are the one who''s doing it." "Catherine..." Seeing how angry she looked, Rome paused for a moment and said, "Yes." Keeping silent, she took a long look at him and mumbled, "It''s been a lie all along, and I didn''t aplish anything on my own." Then she stared at the window and muttered, "This is annoying." "All I did was shield you from your family''s bad intentions, but how far you have reached in your career has everything to do with you." Rome calmly uttered, hoping she would understand. "We both know that''s a lie. Your father literally just took me to a conference, and now I''m asking you, if I wasn''t married to you would he have?" "Maybe, no. But that doesn''t change the fact that he loves your work, and every client that I have made you get is also impressed by your work. That''s not my doing, that''s yours!" Taking in a deep breath, Catherine turned around and gazed at him, and when their eyes met, Rome said, "I might have mentioned your name in a room full of opportunities, but you were the one who prove your worth and potential, not me. So don''t make me take credit for that." "Okay, but that doesn''t change the fact that you have been lying and making a fool out of me for this long..." Catherine mumbled beneath her breath. "Catherine, the only thing different, is myst name and my status." "Right, but is that all you have been lying about? I guess your work at the construction site is also a lie." Pausing for a second, Rome took in a deep breath and then mumbled, "Yes." "So what else have you been lying about? Is our love even real?" Catherine mumbled, crossing her arms. It got silent, and when she stared at Rome, she saw that he looked a bit annoyed. "Don''t do that!" Rome calmly uttered. "Do what?" Catherine whispered. "Don''t question my love for you." "I''m¡­" Hesitating for a moment, Catherine stared back at the window and mumbled, "I want to go home." After a brief moment of hesitation, Rome started the car engine and stepped on the elerator pedal. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 As they all stared at Mr. Barlow, Elijah got sick of the silence in the study and asked, "Father, what is this meeting about?" "I was told Rome gave us two rules to follow, not to offend him or Catherine." Mr. Barlow said with a straight face. A look of annoyance crossed Anthony''s face as he mumbled, "Yes," "Well, if that''s the case, then it seems like Catherine is the only one keeping us away from total This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. destruction." Mr. Barlow mumbled with a hint of worry in his eyes. Taking in a deep breath, Madam Rosey sighed and worriedly uttered, "What are we going to do? This family has done and said so much to Rome. Do you really think Catherine can save us from his wrath?" "If Rome really wanted to ruin our family, he could have done that within a blink of an eye," Edward boldly said. Narrowing his eyes at his uncle, Charles frowned and coldly uttered, "He did ruin our family!" "Right, he has brought nothing but chaos since he arrived in this house!" Richard mumbled, clutching his fist. "Both of you need to shut up!" Mr. Barlowshed out. Then he frowned and said, "The fact that he could have caused this much damage to us without even trying to ruin us, imagine what he could do if he did want to!" The study grew quiet for a while, and after a few minutes had gone by in silence, Mr. Barlow said, "The only key to this family''s sess now is Catherine." "What are you saying?" William asked. At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and Mr. Barlow shouted, "Come in!" Within a split second, the door opened and the familywyer walked into the study. "It''s good that you are here, Mr. Quincy. Please have a seat. Catherine is not back home yet." Mr. Barlow said. Although the family knew why Mr. Quincy were there, except for Mr. Barlow, Edward, his wife, and Madam Rosey, the others couldn''t help but frown at the idea that Catherine was about to have it all. The moment Mr. Quincy took his seat on the couch, the door suddenly opened, and Catherine walked into the room followed by Rome. Seeing the stiff expression on both their faces, Catherine''s mother whispered to her husband, "I don''t think their talk went well." "So it seems," Edward mumbled, feeling a bit worried. Even though he noticed the tension between Catherine and Rome, Mr. Barlow jumped to his feet and happily said, "You both are back. That''s great. Now that you are here, Catherine, we can start the paperwork." "I won''t be signing the documents," Catherine mumbled with a straight face. A look of fear clouded Mr. Barlow''s eyes, and he eyed Rome for a moment before gazing at his granddaughter, "Why?" "I just don''t feel like I''ve earned it, so you can give it to any of the others. I''m withdrawing myself from the inheritance list." Catherine said without looking at Rome, even though he was staring at her. Feeling desperate and afraid, Mr. Barlow hastily uttered, "I had a heart attack today!" His remark shocked everybody, and they were curious about what he was going to say next, except for Rome. Staring at the old man, he faintly smirked with calmness in his eyes. "What? Are you okay, grandfather?" Catherine asked, suddenly feeling worried instead of angry. "No, I''m getting old, dear, and my health is degrading. That''s why I am resigning from thepany." Mr. Barlow pitifully said, knowing that turning everything over to Catherine was the only way to safe his family reputation and wealth. "What..." "I need you to take over my position as the Chairwoman of DreamTeam and oversee our family possessions." Anger spiked in Elijah''s eyes, and a sense of rage coursed through William while a feeling of pure hate consumed Anthony, and yet none of them spoke. "You must be kidding me," Chloe whispered beneath her breath. ring at Catherine, Charles sneered and thought, ''Unbelievable,'' As he strived to suppress his anger, Richard kept his eyes on the floor, knowing that he was powerless to do something about his grandfather''s remark. Finally getting over her shock, Catherine mumbled, "Grandpa, I can''t¡­" "Please, Catherine. It is the only wish of this ill old man. Your uncles and cousins have caused so much damage to thepany. I can''t trust no one else except you." Mr. Barlow pleadingly said. Biting down gently on her bottom lip, Catherine paused for a moment. Then she sighed and mumbled, "Actually¡­" Although she was about to tell her grandfather about who Rome was and that what Jeff had said had some truth in it, something clicked to her. ''Rome didn''t do anything except expose my uncles and cousins for who they really were. So technically, they brought disaster on themselves, not him.'' Catherine thought, finally looking at her husband. Seeing how hesitant his granddaughter looked, Mr. Barlow let out a sigh and said, "I''m sorry for my ignorance in the past. But to be honest with you Catherine, I see a lot of my young self in you." Then he faintly smiled when Catherine met his eyes and said, "Your love for DreamTeam and how passionate you are about your work, is just how I was and still am. So what do you say?" For a moment, Catherine looked at her father and he slightly nodded. Then she stared back at her grandfather and said, "Sure, I would love to." ''Checkmate.'' Rome thought, smiling slightly as he realized that hisst n had be sessful. Then without uttering a word, he shoved his hand into his coat pocket and then walked out of the room. With a trace of sadness in her eyes, Catherine stared at the door and took a deep breath. A few minutester, Catherine, Mr. Barlow, and Mr. Quincy got done with the paperwork, and afterward, thewyer left the room. Still striving toe to terms with the fact that she was now the family top inheritor, Catherine gazed around the room, and that''s when she realized something wasn''t right. "Where''s Jeff?" Catherine asked, staring at her grandmother. "He''s in prison." Madam Rosey mumbled. "What! Why?" "The car that you left the mansion in this morning was involved in an ident. Jeff was the one behind it. The police arrested him this afternoon." For a moment, Catherine nkly stared at her grandmother. Then she mumbled, "The cars switch," With tears beaming in her eyes, Catherine rushed out of the room. Then she pulled out her phone and called Rome. When he answered, she sniffed and mumbled, "Where are you?" "In our room," Rome said, staring out the window. "Stay there. I''ming to you." "Okay," A few minutester, Catherine walked into the bedroom, and when Rome turned his focus away from the window and ced it on her, Catherine sniffed aggressively and walked towards him. Then she rushed into his arms and silently cried, hugging him tightly. "I''m sorry," Catherine muttered, tightening her grips on his coat. "Me too," Rome mumbled, wrapping his hands around her waist. After crying her eyes out and calming down, Catherine lifted her head, met his eyes, and softly asked, "Do you really love me?" Unable to hold in hisugh, Rome giggled faintly and calmly intoned, "Of course, I love you." Then he raised her chin, leaned in closer towards her lip, and kissed her passionate. Chapter 122: Book 2 Living as a billionaire -- Chapter 1 Chapter 122: Book 2 Living as a billionaire -- Chapter 1 The hall was quiet as the wooden door opened, and everyone turned around to gaze at Catherine as she marched into the room. Even though this was their second wedding, the moment Rome gazed at Catherine, he became emotional, and tears welled up in his eyes. "She''s perfect," Rome mumbled, wiping his tear-stained cheek with a handkerchief. Staring at his son, Mr. Ford smirked while he thought, ''And you were against me for nning a huge wedding, instead of you and Catherine going to the court to get your names changed.'' With a look of pride in his expression, Mr. Miller stared at his son in admiration at the pure love he saw in his eyes for Catherine. "I heard that her dress is the only one of its kind in the entire world. Also, that every jewel she''s wearing is made out of diamonds." Ady mumbled to the elegant-looking woman seated beside her. "The Barlows are lucky to have a Ford as their son-inw." The woman replied as she enviously stared at Catherine. "Is it good or bad luck? Thest time I checked, they were ill-treating him because he was a Miller, and now that he''s a Ford," "Right, he could destroy their family with just a few words. Isn''t it funny how now the roles have shifted?" A frown crossed Madam Rosey''s face as she became annoyed at the fact that these two women dared to gossip about her family when they were right behind her. But she couldn''t do anything about it because everyone who got invited to the wedding was elite people, and they were above her family status. When Mr. Barlow swayed his gaze to his wife and saw the growing anger in her eyes as these women continued to gossip, he red at her, knowing what was at stake. "Remember what I told you all beforeing here, ''Do not do anything to embarrass and degrade our family reputation!" Mr. Barlow whispered with dominance in his tone. Staring his way, Madam Rosey scowled and mumbled, "I know, but..." "But nothing! This wedding is supposed to go smoothly for our family''s sake! We don''t want to get on Mr. Ford''s bad side, even if we are now inws." "Fine." After gazing at his wife for a couple of seconds, he stared at the others and then realized that one person was missing. "Why is Dash here, but not Chloe? Aren''t they supposed to be here together as I requested!" Mr. Barlow asked. "I don''t know." Madam Barlow said, feeling a bit worried that her granddaughter wasn''t present. As Catherine slowly marched towards the floral arch, her eyes remained fixed on Rome with a soft smile on her lips. Halfway down the aisle, Edward walked up to her and grinned as she held onto his arm. Right at that moment, the door suddenly opened, and everyone gazed back, staring in shock at Chloe as she walked into the hall, wearing an elegantce appliques V-neck backless white gown. Seeing the kind of attention that she was getting, Chloe smirked, then faked an apologetic expression, gazed directly at Rome, and said, "I''m sorry for arrivingte." Then she stared at Catherine and sweetly uttered, "I hope you don''t mind me wearing white to your wedding, dear cousin?" Not uttering a word, Catherine took a deep breath, calmed her anger, and faced ahead of her, fixing her gaze back on Rome. When their eyes locked and she smiled, he slowly unclenched his fist, knowing that today was her day and taking action against Chloe would ruin it. Although Mr. Ford wanted to call security to kick Chloe out of the wedding hall at that moment, when Catherine and Rome didn''t react to Chloe''s behavior, he deeply inhaled to calm himself and let the matter go, at least for the time being. After Catherine didn''t show any interest in her cousin''s inappropriate entrance and dress code, the musician started ying the bridal chorus, and everyone began to focus back on the wedding. When Catherine reached Rome, he smiled at her and asked, "Are you okay?" "Yes." Catherine calmly uttered, although she was annoyed by her cousin''s behavior. Even though Chloe expected a different reaction from her cousin, and it felt embarrassing that things didn''t go as she nned, she boldly walked down the aisle and headed to her seat. The moment she sat down, the first thing she heard was ady saying, "Is she trying to upstage the bride, what a joke!" ''You guessed wrong. Trying to upstage my cousin when she dressed like that is something impossible.'' Chloe thought, sneering as she fixed her eyes on Rome. Consumed with anger, Mr. Barlow tightened his fist, looked at Madam Rosey, and mumbled, "What is your granddaughter thinking, wearing such clothes!" "How should I know what goes on in that girl''s mind?" Madam Rosey said, feeling annoyed by Chloe''s behavior. With a touch of hurt in his eyes, Dash frowned at Chloe, and then he sighed, knowing what she was doing. Chuckling faintly, Charles stared at Chloe and then swayed his gaze on Richard and whispered to him, "Five hundred bucks say that she did all this to get Rome''s attention." "Do you have five hundred bucks to your name to make a bet in your current state?" Richard coldly said, giving his cousin an icy stare. "I know your brother being in jail is pissing you off, but you don''t have to be a jerk!" "I''m not. I''m just reminding you to focus on your problems and stop bucking me about Chloe trying to steal Rome from Catherine!" Staring away from Richard, Charles clenched his fist and thought, ''I know where I stand now, but it won''t be for long. I will get back what rightfully belongs to me. Every single one of the Barlow''s wealth will be mine as it should be.'' A look of hate spiked in Richard''s eyes as he watched Rome grin when Catherine joined him at the arch. Then he stared away from the both of them and thought, ''You two get to have your happily-ever-after while Jeff is in prison, I don''t think so. Enjoy the happy moments now because the good days don''tst long.'' Time drifted by, and atst, the clergyman finally said, "I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Ford. You may kiss your bride." For a couple of seconds, Rome took a moment to admire his wife, and then he smiled as he leaned in towards her lips. The sound of pping echoed throughout the hall as everyone watched him kiss Catherine. "I''m about to cry!" Scar loudly said. Staring at him, ze and Brook narrowed their eyes, but deep down, they too were emotional because of how happy they were for their boss. The look of envy in Chloe''s eyes was visible as she gazed at Catherine and Rome kissed. Then a buzzing noise from her phone suddenly drew her attention to its screen. "It must kill you to see your cousin marrying the man you always wanted, right? But I can make Rome yours if you obey my words to the letter." Chloe read, frowning at the text. Then at that moment, another message appeared on the screen, "I am watching you, and any attempt to tell others about this message, our deal is off." "Is someone trying to prank me?" Chloe thought, gazing at Charles, then at Richard. But they were not on their phone, so when the third message came, Chloe was truly concerned now about who sent the messages. "What''s wrong, Chloe. You look restless. Don''t you want to be the daughter-inw of the Ford family? I can give that to you." "Who are you, and how do you know that I am restless? Are you one of the wedding guests?" Chloe hastily texted back. "Hmm...You are asking all the wrong questions! I guess you don''t want your cousin''s man like I thought you did." "Wait! I am desperate to have him." When Chloe didn''t receive a text back, she frowned and then gazed back at the face of all the guests. A couple of seconds went by, then her phone buzzed, and she hastily stared at the screen, gazing at the message. "I see you are curious about my identity, but trying to find me in such a crowd will do you no good. Anyways, my identity isn''t for you to know just yet. So you are desperate?" "Yes. But how are you going to get a man like Rome Ford to fall for me?" Chloe asked, sneering at the way Catherine was smiling at Rome. "Let me put it this way, I am your fairy god person, and I''m going to give you everything you need to get This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. yourself a prince charming, but you have to attract him yourself." "How?" The sudden sound of cheering and pping drew Chloe''s attention away from her phone, and she stared at Catherine and Rome for a second before focusing on its screen again. "Within the appropriate time, you will know. But for now, save my number because I will text you again, and you should be ready to do as you are told by then." Chapter Twenty One Chapter Twenty One Early Monday morning, Catherine walked into the office, and the moment she took a seat behind her desk, the room door opened. Staring at her secretary walking inside, Catherine waited for her to close the door before asking, "What is it?" "You have guests." Her secretary calmly uttered with a look of nervousness on her face. "Who are they?" "Mr. Earl and his father, Chairman Herman." A frown settled on Catherine''s face as she spaced out for a moment, focusing on her thoughts about if she should meet Earl or not. Finally, she let out a soft breath and said, "Escort them to the conference room and tell them that I will be with them shortly." "Okay, boss." Her secretary replied before turning away. After she left the room, Catherine groaned out her frustration, wondering if she had made the right choice. Then she abruptly muttered, "Should I call Rome?" It took her a while to think her thoughts through. Then she grabbed her phone, stood to her feet, and mumbled, "I don''t want to get him involved in more trouble. After all, I can handle this." The conference room was silent as Mr. Earl waited on Catherine with his father, but there was tension between both men. A few minutes went by, then the door to the conference room opened, and Catherine walked inside with her secretary beside her. The moment Mr. Earlid his sight on her, he hastily stood to his feet as his eyes lit up like a pervert. "Good morning, Chairman Herman and Mr. Earl." Catherine half-heartedly greeted. "You actually came. I was a bit doubtful that Miss Catherine would want to see me!" Mr. Earl said, taking a step towards her. "I came to show respect to Chairman Herman, not because of you. So don''t get it twisted." "If that''s the case, then, Catherine, you should know that I have proposed the idea to my father about DreamTeam cooperating with Technology And Co. by taking on our major millions of dors projects, and he''s on board with it!" Frowning at Mr. Earl, Catherine gave him an icy stare as she said, "There''s no closeness between us, so please call me, ''Mrs. Ford.'' Also, the fact that you were the one who made this proposal to Chairman Herman, I am turning the offer down." Then she swayed her gaze to Chairman Herman and stared at him for a second before turning around to leave. "Mrs. Ford, please don''t go just yet." Chairman Herman called out. Stopping in her tracks, Catherine took a deep breath with her eyelids shut. Then she turned around and stared at him. "You are a woman of business, and deep down, you know this is a good business opportunity for DreamTeam. I honestly want DreamTeam and Technology And Co. to cooperate." Chairman Herman calmly uttered. Then he locked eyes with Catherine and said, "So how about we bury past hard feelings and stop being sensitive." "I am far from being sensitive," Catherine said with a frown. "As you said, I''m a woman of business. So you should know that I''m not going to look at how good the offer is and forget about who''s offering it." Swaying her icy gaze to Mr. Earl, Catherine scowled and coldly uttered, "Ignoring such detail canter be sabotaging for mypany, and I don''t want that." Then she turned around and walked out of the conference room with her secretary. "Mrs. Ford," Chairman Herman called out as the door mmed closed. Afterward, he red at his son before standing up from his seat and storming out of the conference room. A few minutester, Mr. Earl joined his father in the backseat of his car and shut the door. Without looking at his son, Chairman Herman scowled and firmly intoned, "Do you have to be so problematic and create issues with the Fords. Now, do you think that only DreamTeam would not want to do business with us!" "Stop talking like the Fords are any better than us. I know that Catherine epting this deal will help ease the fear of some of our partners stopping business with us. But there are other ways to smooth things out." Mr. Earl said in annoyance. "Okay. Although Rome''s wife cooperating with us will smooth the tension you created, I''m all ears to this so-called other ways because from the look of things, cooperating with Catherine is impossible!" "Her family. Although Catherine''s in control of DreamTeam, her family members still have a major influence in decisions about thepany. I just need to find the right person to work through." "Okay! So why the hell did you drag me out here to meet her, especially when you already knew the oue of things!" Smirking, Mr. Earl stared at the tinted window and mumbled, "I want her to enjoy the pride of turning me down. Now, imagine if my n seeds and she gets forced to work with me. What do you think that would do to her?" When Chairman Herman didn''t answer, Mr. Earl continued, "It will crush her pride and humble her. To deal with a woman like Catherine, you need to break her down little by little." Feeling disgusted by his boss''s words, the driver started the car engine as he listened to Mr. Earl say, "Just the thought of it is making me excited." "I don''t care about your excitement. Just fix this mess that you have created one way or another!" Chairman Hermanshed out in annoyance. The board room was quiet as Rome reviewed the document before him while the others waited on his feedback. However, his phone suddenly rang, disrupting the silence and distracting him from the words on the paper. Raising his head, Rome stared at the name on his screen, and then he reached for his phone. The moment he answered, ze''s voice echoed into his ear, "well, Boss, James Earl, and Chairman Herman just drove out of DreamTeam parking lot." Every muscle in Rome''s body became tense as he clenched his jaw. Then he hastily stood to his feet and walked out of the board room without uttering a word to anyone. "Boss, are you leaving?" K asked in shock, knowing that the meeting wasn''t supposed to be over since it was just starting. Then he increased his pace as he tried to catch up with Rome. When K finally was a foot behind him, he tried again and asked, "Boss, where are we going?" "DreamTeam. Apparently, Earl was daring enough to visit Catherine." Rome firmly uttered, tightening his grip on his phone. Then he frowned and said, "Why didn''t she call me. What is she thinking not telling me that that freak visited her." Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "Boss, I don''t think it''s my ce to say, but you confronting Miss about Earl will make her know that you are keeping tabs on her. Isn''t that something you don''t want?" K mumbled, hoping that he didn''t overstep his boundary. "I''m not stupid, K! I''m not going to confronting my wife about this. I''m simply going to visit her." "Uh¡­ Aaah, I understand." A look of annoyance spiked in Rome''s eyes as he suddenly stopped in his tracks, gazing at Amara walking towards him from the opposite direction. When she reached him, she smiled and said, "It''s good to see you again. I got told by your secretary that you were in a meeting. So I have been waiting out here for you. Are you going somewhere, or is the meeting over already?" "Yes, I got a ce that I need to get to right now. I''m sorry, but I have to leave." Rome said, unable to control the restlessness he felt. "I see. Well, we talked at the party, but we really didn''t talk. So I decided toe to you today and be more honest with the questions you asked me. But it seems like us having such a conversation will be impossible today." "Right. I don''t think I am in the right mindset to partake in such a discussion with you. Let''s do it tomorrow?" "Tomorrow it is then. Morning hours?" "Yes. Now, excuse me." Watching Rome walk past her, Amara gazed down the hall as she thought, ''Hopefully, you don''t give another excuse tomorrow. The sooner I have this talk with you, the sooner I can get that annoying human being to stop lecturing me.'' Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Two Even though Catherine''s mind was disturbed about her meeting with Earl and Chairman Herman, she tried to look focused as she discussed with a foreign woman who wanted to cooperate with DreamTeam. However, although she looked focused, she wasn''t paying attention to her until thedy finally asked in a harsh tone, "Mrs. Ford, did you get what I said, or have you be deaf?! I''m speaking, and you are barely replying!" "I''m sorry, miss D, can you please repeat what you had said?" Catherine gently intoned, feeling a bit embarrassed and annoyed about D''s tone with her. A frown crossed D''s face, and as she was about to speak, the office door suddenly opened. Looking away from D, Catherine gazed ahead of her and saw Rome walking into the office. At first, a faint smile crept on her lips. But when she gazed deeper into Rome''s eyes, she guessed that something was off, and her expression quickly got serious. "Miss D, if it''s possible, can you please spare me a few minutes to speak with my husband. I will get back to you shortly. And while you wait, what would you like my secretary to serve you?" Catherine softly uttered. A bitter and briefugh escaped D''s lips as she narrowed her eyes at Catherine before rudely uttering, "You must be delusional if you think I''m going to spare you a second of my time if you dare walk out of here!" Speechless from the anger she felt because of how D spoke to her, Catherine took a moment to get her emotions under control and stay calm. "Your so-called husband can wait until after you get done here. Even if this meetingsts for an hour, he will have to wait. After all, you need my money, and it''s not the other way around." D roughly said. "Actually, I don''t need your money. So you can leave my office, go learn some manners, ande back with a better attitude." Catherine boldly stated, deciding that she had had enough of D misbehavior. Holding in hisugh, Rome tried to keep a straight face and said, "My wife is right. You really need some lessons or two about speaking properly." Looking back at Rome, D scowled as she thought, ''If I didn''t get instructed by my parents toe here and sessfully established a cooperation with DreamTeam, I would have left already.'' Then she gazed at Catherine and mumbled, "Even though this is my first timeing back to the country after my studies, I''m sure that there are otherpanies way better than you, so stop acting cocky." "Miss D, can you please leave. I need to speak with my husband." Catherine casually said. At first, D looked angry, then a trace of nervousness took over her expression, and she paused for a moment, lightly biting on her bottom lip. "I will head out then," D mumbled, standing to her feet. "Can you¡­ please, can you tell your secretary to escort me to the waiting room? Also, ask her to please serve me tea and a slice of cake." Smiling at D, Catherine nodded and said, "Of course, I can." A few minutester, after D had left and Catherine had informed her secretary about D''s demands, she walked from behind her desk and moved to the front. "It''s just the two of us now. What''s on your mind to say?" Catherine asked, looking at Rome. But he was so stunned that she could read his expression so well that he forgot for a moment about the lie he wanted to tell her. "I was just stopping by to check up on you," Rome mumbled, not even believing his own words. "Hon, we both havepanies to run and are super busy at this hour, and you want me to believe that you drove a mile to check up on me?" Catherine asked, raising a brow. Then her gaze unintentionally rested on her phone, and she said, "Also, you could have simply done that over the phone." "But then I won''t see your beautiful face," Rome said, still trying to find an escape route. "We could have FaceTime if that was the case. So what''s actually going on?" It fell silent between them for a couple of minutes as Rome second-guessed his thoughts. Then he finally said, "Earl visited you." "Rome," Catherine uttered, sounding disappointed. For a while, Rome hadn''t heard Catherine call him by his first name like that, and he just knew that she had already put two to two together in her head and found out how he knew about Mr. Earl''s visit. "Seriously, you are keeping tabs on me?!" Catherine mumbled in frustration. Hesitating for a moment, Rome gazed into her eyes and then said, "Yes. But it''s not in the way you think." "Honey, we both talked about this. I told you, I need my space and to feel independent, and you promised that you were going to give me that." Catherine said, frowning slightly. "I know, I know what I promise, and I want to give you that. But¡­" "There''s no but, hon. I spent most of my life in my cousins'' shadow, never feeling like I was good enough. I don''t want to spend the rest of my life in your shadow too, or else I''m always going to think of myself less." It grew silent as Rome felt an ache in his chest as he watched the sadness on Catherine''s face deepened. Then he walked over to her, met her eyes, and said, "I know it must have been traumatizing for you to get criticized and measured with your cousins in that mansion. But I need you to read my lips." Looking away from Rome''s eyes, Catherine''s gaze fell upon Rome''s lips as he said, "Your star is glowing too bright for you to be in me or anyone shadow. You are your own person, and your sess is yours to own. Don''t ever give such high credit to anyone else but you, okay?" "Alright," Catherine mumbled beneath her breath, smiling faintly. Without giving it a second thought, Rome held Catherine by her waist, lifted her, and sat her at the edge of the desk. "I''m sorry that I broke my promise," Rome mumbled. "But, you don''t know how much it killed me not to know if you are safe at work." "Do you worry that much?" Catherine softly asked, not breaking eye contact with him. "Well¡­" Rome said, studying her face for a moment. "With the family you have and my father''s lifestyle, I''m always worried about your safety." "If that''s the case, then I understand why you do what you do." Catherine calmly uttered. Resting his palms t on the desk and cing Catherine in between his hands, Rome caressed her cheek, leaned over, and passionately kissed her neck, causing a moan to escape her lips. Then he rested his cheek against hers and whispered into her ear, "Do you forgive me?" "Yes," Catherine mumbled as her lips pulled upward in a smile. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, her eyes locked with his, and she said, "Mr. Earl was here with Chairman Herman because he wants to do business with DreamTeam." Then she frowned and mumbled, "I guess he was serious about what he said at the party. But I turned his offer down because I''m not nning on doing business with such a man." "That''s good." Rome asked with a straight face. "Well, what was his response when you turned him down?" "Well, he said nothing really. Is something wrong?" "No. Not at all. You should get back to Miss D, and I should head back to thepany." Even though Catherine saw in Rome''s expression that the was more he wasn''t telling her, she asked no further questions and said, "Okay." A couple of minutester, when Rome arrived back in the backseat of his Mercedes, the first thing he did was dial Scar''s number. A few seconds went by, then Scar''s voice echoed from the phone speaker, "Hello, boss." "What information have you gathered on Earl?" Rome asked. "So far, nothing." "He''s clean?" "Nah, he can''t be. His records are way too well polished for him to be. It''s almost like he''s putting in lots of effort to keep something from resurfacing." "Well, I need you to find out what that is and unburied it soon because Earl is noting for me. He''s going after Catherine." Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Three After Rome''s call with Scar ended, he tossed his phone on the seat, rested back, and covered his face with his palm, sighing out his frustration. "Jame Earl is going after Miss?" K asked, tightening his fist as rage awoke in him. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "It looks like it. Although Earl has power and wealth to go against me, he knows the amount of damage it will cause him and the risk involved, so he''s not attacking from the head but the heart." Rome mumbled in anger. "Should we tell the big boss then?" "No!" Withdrawing his hand from his face, Rome coldly stared at K and said, "Keep my father out of this, or else blood will spill. Got it!?" "Yes, boss." K hastily uttered. "My father should be myst result." "What now?" There was a brief pause. Then Rome looked into the v mirror and said, "Ondo, drive. I think it''s time to have a second talk with Earl." Not wasting a second, Mr. Ondo put the car in gear and drove off. A whileter, they arrived at Technology And Co., and Rome headed into the building with K beside him. The office was silent as Mr. Earl stood with his back facing the door as he stared at the transparent ss, slowly twirling his thick gold ring. Suddenly, the door opened, and Rome walked in with K while Earl''s secretary shouted as she rushed after them, "Sirs, you can''t just walk in there." "Don''t you think it''s risky to enter someone''s territory without being invited?" Mr. Earl said, turning away from the ss. Then he scowled when he locked eyes with Rome, despising the mere sight of him. "You should have said those words to yourself before you decided that it was a smart choice to visit my wife." Rome coldly uttered. Noticing that the look in Rome''s eyes was the same look Rome gave him before beating the crap out of him, Mr. Earl hesitated for a moment. Then he gazed at his secretary and rudelymanded, "Get out!" After she left the office and shut the door, Mr. Earl took a seat behind his desk and said, "I guess you are here to tell me to stay away from your wife?" "Actually, no." Rome casually uttered. "I don''t have to tell you that. You already know that, and if I had to remind you, I wouldn''t be this calm." In confusion, both K and Mr. Earl raised a brow as they stared at Rome, wondering what else he was there for other than Catherine. Keeping silent, Rome walked over to the chair, took a seat, and rested back, crossing his leg over the other. Then he fixed his cold gaze on Mr. Earl and said, "I didn''t know you and Chloe Barlow were that close." A hint of nervousness spiked on Mr. Earl''s face for a moment as he asked, "What are you getting at?" When Rome noticed that Mr. Earl was getting a bit anxious about his remark, he faintly smirked, knowing that his guess was right about the being something more to Chloe and James attending the party together. "It''s funny how there was no connection between you and Chloe until you suddenly showed up at the party with her as your date," Rome said, keeping his gaze fixed on Earl''s darting eyes. "Bang!" A loud noise echoed from the desk when Mr. Earl pped his palm on it and shouted, "Are you investigating me?!" "What if I am? Do you have some dirty secret that you don''t want me to find out?" Rome calmly asked, slightly raising a brow. It fell silent as Mr. Earl coldly stared at him. Then he sneered and mumbled, "You got nothing on me because I have nothing to hide." "Is that so? Okay, I ept the challenge." Rome casually said with a mocking smile on his lip. A sudden spike of rage woke within Earl, and without thinking for a moment, he shouted, "You!" Then he snapped out of his feelings and got a grip on himself and then calmly uttered, "Chloe came begging me to take her to the party, talking about how her cousin didn''t invite her, but she wanted to attend because it would be humiliating if she didn''t." When Rome didn''t speak, Mr. Earl frowned and mumbled, "Who knew she was still going to get humiliated and dragged me into her shit too." The fact that Mr. Earl was acting so cooperative made Rome even more suspicious of him and Chloe''s sudden rtionship, and then something clicked in his mind. "You and she barely knew each other before the party, so why would shee to you for help?" Immediately, anxiety clouded Mr. Earl''s face as he gazed away from Rome and thought, ''Am Isupposed to tell you that someone offered me that they could make me number one in the country by taking you down if I help Chloe get into the party?'' After a few seconds had gone by in silence, Rome frowned and asked, "Did you buy her the dress she was wearing too?" "What?" Mr. Earl mumbled in confusion, snapping out of his thoughts. Then he kept quiet for a while before he finally said, "Yes. I mean, have you seen Chloe? With that body, even if she ask me for my checkbook, I will be willing to give it to her." Feeling disgusted, Rome stood to his feet. Then he walked to the desk, and as he got closer, Mr. Earl pressed his back against his seat with a touch of fear in his eyes and mumbled, "Don''t do anything stupid! I''m warning you!" As anger glowed on Rome''s face, he reached across the desk, grabbed Earl by his coat, and yanked him halfway across the table. "Stay the hell away from my wife, or else!" Rome coldly uttered. Then he pushed Mr. Earl back into his chair and withdrew from the desk, glowering at him. "Haha, of course. You know that I was calling a bluff at the party, right? No one in their right mind would want to have bad blood with the Fords." Mr. Earl cockily said. Without uttering a word, Rome turned away from the desk and walked away, leaving the office with K. When the door mmed shut, Mr. Earl took a moment to get himself together, and then he picked up his phone and texted an unknown number. "I want out of your mess. Antagonism between the Fords and me was not part of the deal!" It took a few minutes. Then a message appeared on Mr. Earl''s phone screen, "You have your eyes set on the Barlow youngest daughter, right?" "Who the fuck are you!" "Wrong reply. Try again." Hesitating for a moment, Mr. Earl frowned, and then he texted back, "Yes, and so?!" A minuteter, another message surfaced, "You want to cooperate with DreamTeam to get her, am I right, again?" "How did you know?!" "Another wrong response." As he intensely gazed at his phone screen, Mr. Earl slowly tapped his shoe against the marble tile. Then he stopped and wrote back, "Yes, I want to break her and then have her." "Good. I got a n. Now, do you want to hear it, or do you want out of my mess?" The car remained silent for minutes as Mr. Ondo drove, and even though several questions were roaming around in K''s mind, he remained quiet. "It can''t be Earl," Rome mumbled beneath his breath. "What?" K abruptly asked out of curiosity. "The puppets'' master is not Earl." "Pardon me, boss. But what are you talking about?" Not responding to K''s question, Rome frowned as he muttered, "Even if it''s not Earl, he still got something that he is hiding, and for Catherine''s sake, that''s what I need to focus on right now." Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Four At six o''clock, Rome had just finished reviewing thest of the documents that he abandoned at the meeting he left earlier that day. Then he rested back in his seat, and at that moment, the office door opened, and when Rome saw Catherine walking into the office, the tiredness he felt suddenly seemed to fade as a feeling of warmth coursed through him. "What are you doing here?" Rome asked, waking up from his seat. Then he walked over to the front of his desk and sat at the edge before holding Catherine''s hand and pulling her towards him. When she hit against his body, Rome held her waist, looked into her eyes, and faintly grinned. Hesitating for a second, Catherine studied his mood, and then she said, "I came to take you on a dinner date that¡­ that your father invited us to, and he said it will be just the three of us." ''It''s like he has forgotten my number.'' Rome thought in annoyance. By Seven o''clock, Rome and Catherine arrived in the private room of "Greenhouse restaurant," and Mr. Ford focused his gaze on his son as both of them walked up to the table he was seated. Then he stood and embraced Catherine as she reached him, and whispered, "Thank you foring, dear." Afterward, he gazed at Rome, and when their eyes locked, Rome just knew that this was more than a dinner date. However, Mr. Ford only greeted him without saying anything else. But Rome didn''t seem convinced at the very least. For a while, Mr. Ford, Catherine, and Rome had small talks while they had their meals, and everything seemed peaceful until Catherine excused herself from the table when her phone rang. The moment she stepped out of the room, Mr. Ford scowled at Rome and harshly said, "You are really still ying stubborn about this!" "I''m not acting stubborn. I''m trying to y smart," Rome mumbled in annoyance. "Earl showed up at Catherine''s workce. He moved on your territory. That''s a threat, and you are going to sit back and talk about ying smart!?" "I''m d you know that it''s mine territory and not yours!" "Well, Catherine is mine daughter-inw!" "And she''s my wife!" Frowning, Mr. Ford clenched his fist as he tried to cage his anger. Then he sighed and said, "I know. But I''m your father. I want to help you handle this and put an end to this mess." "Thank you, dad," Rome said, pausing for a moment. Then he looked Mr. Ford dead in his eyes and said, "But you can''t go back on your promise. At this moment, all you can do is wait until I find a n to deal with everything." ring at his son, Mr. Ford slowly tapped the table and mumbled, "Yes, I know. But¡­" "Leave the ''but'' out of that sentence." "Are you really going to tie a rope around my wrists and put me on the sideline?!" We both know the answer to that, father." Both Rome and Mr. Ford didn''t speak for a brief while. Then Rome suddenly asked, "If I asked you to give me a number and names of your enemies, could you do it?" Not even giving it that much thought, Mr. Ford''s brows pulled together as he said, "No. There are too many to count or remember." "So it''s like finding a needle in a haystack?" Rome mumbled, feeling a bit disappointed. Without understanding what he meant, Mr. Ford muttered, "Something like that." Then he paused, met Rome''s eyes, and asked, "What do you mean? Who are you trying to find? Is the something going on that I don''t know about?!" "You once told me that with great wealthes a lifetime of enemies. How possible is it that I have also inherited your foes after taking over from you?" Rome asked. "I mean, that''s quite possible. It only makes sense that something like that would happen since you are my son, and they are my foes. But who''s the needle that you are trying to find in the haystack of my enemies?" "I don''t know." A minute went by in silence. Then Rome said, "But what I do know is that someone or there could be more that are out to get me." Keeping quiet for a moment, Rome continued to stare at Mr. Ford''s concerned expression, and after a brief while, he finally said, "Chloe wore the same dress that Catherine had on at the party. Only someone stupid will think that''s a coincidence." "Are you calling me stupid then?" Mr. Ford asked with a straight face. Staring apologetically at his father, Rome hastily said, "Dad, I didn''t mean it like that." "Haha! I''m just messing with you." Mr. Fordughed out, trying to ease the tension on Rome''s face. Chuckling faintly, Rome shook his head. But his father''s joke helped him feel a bit better. "Of course, I recognized that something was off about Catherine and Chloe wearing the same dress." Mr. Ford mumbled. "Did you check with Jerry?" "Already did, and he wasn''t the one who sewed Chloe''s dress or linked Catherine''s gown to her," Rome said. "I''m not stressing about the fact they wore the same dress, but how it happened." Silent followed Rome''s remark, and itsted for a while before he said, "Someone is keeping track of Catherine and me, and I need to know who and why?" "Maybe it''s Earl. He has the power and wealth to pull off a mess like that." Mr. Ford abruptly said, feeling a rise of anger in him. "It''s not him." "How do you know?!" At that moment, Catherine''s soft voice echoed, "Is everything okay?" Staring away from each other, Rome and Mr. Ford gazed at her and then said almost in unison, "No," A frown swept across Catherine''s face, knowing that they were both lying. Then she silently took her seat and started cutting into her steak. When eight-fifteen arrived, Catherine and Rome were already in his car heading home, and she continued to remain quiet. But Rome let her be, even though he knew she was angry about what happened back at the restaurant. A whileter, when Catherine and Rome arrived home, she headed into the house first, leaving him behind. But a few minutester, Rome caught up to her in the hallway, and as she was about to head upstairs, he calmly said, "Stopped right there." Immediately, Catherine paused in her track, pressing her lips in a firm line as she squeezed her eyelids shut. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "Slowly turn around," Rome uttered, staring at her back. Hesitating for a moment, Catherine kept her eyes closed. Then she slowly turned around and opened them, staring at Rome. Pointing out his index finger, Rome wiggled it back and forth as he said, "Come here." At first, Catherine frowned. Then she sighed and took steps towards Rome until she reached right in front of him, then she stopped. "What are you mad about?" Rome asked, staring at her as she pouted at him. "I don''t know," Catherine mumbled beneath her breath. Then she gazed down at her toes and said, "It''s the way you and father stopped talking when I walked into the room. It made me feel¡­" "Like I''m keeping things from you?" Rome calmly asked. "Kind of." "Okay then, ask me what you want to know, and I will give you an answer." Slowly, Catherine raised her head and met his eyes, feeling tempted to give in to her desire. Then she drew a deep breath and said, "Umm, no! I trust you." A faint giggle escaped Rome''s lip, and he mumbled, "Silly. Even if you don''t ask, I still want to tell you. After all, I was nning to talk to you about it after we get home." "I didn''t mean to make it seem like I don''t trust you," Catherine mumbled with a look of remorse in her eyes. "Hey, it''s fine, okay? I kept my identity from you for so long, and it only makes sense that you might have some trust issues because of that." "Yeah, but it doesn''t feel right." With tears beaming in Catherine''s eyes, she tried to smile, but her lips rebelled against her, and in that instant, Rome didn''t hesitate to pull her into his arms, embracing her. "Stop being so hard on yourself. I understand." Rome mumbled when he felt her hand wrapped around his back, and her fingers grabbed tightly onto his coat. Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Five At seven-fifteen in the morning, Catherine came downstairs, dressed for work, and when she walked into the dining room, she saw Mr. Miller. "Good morning, father," Catherine said as her eyes lit up. "Oh, my dear. Pleasee and sit down. I know how much you and Rome love my cooking, and after what you two went through during the party, I thought it would be nice to stop by today and cheer you Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. two up with food." Mr. Miller happily said, drawing a chair for Catherine. After she had taken a seat, she looked up at him, gave a warm smile, and said, "This is such a nice surprise, father. Thank you. I''m sure Rome will love it as much as I do." At that moment, Rome walked into the room, and when Catherine saw him, her face glowed with excitement as she said, "Hon, father made your favorite dishes." For a moment, a faint smile surfaced on Rome''s lips. Then his expression grew serious as he stared apologetically at Mr. Miller and said, "I''m so sorry, but I got to leave like now." Knowing that Rome wouldn''t turn down his food if what he had to do wasn''t essential, Mr. Miller cheerfully said, "There''s nothing to be sorry about, and I understand, son. I guessed it''s just my daughter-inw and me then." Feeling relieved that his father''s feelings didn''t get hurt, Rome walked to Catherine, raised her chin, and leaned towards her, kissing her lightly on the lips. Afterward, he stared into her curious eyes and said, "Scar got a breakthrough with his investigation about Earl, and I''m going to meet him." "Really, that''s amazing!" Catherine said, beaming at him. Then she watched Rome smile at her before turning around to leave. But in that instant, she grabbed his fingers and mumbled, "Be careful, would you?" "I promise that I will," Rome said with his back turned to her. Then he hesitated when he felt Catherine slowly let go of his fingers. A couple of seconds went by with Rome standing still. Then he walked out of the room and headed out of the house. The moment K saw himing towards the car, he hurried to the back door and opened it. When Rome reached K, both men exchanged greetings before Rome got into the car, and he shut the door closed behind him. "Where to, boss?" Mr. Ondo asked, focusing on the v-mirror. "The casino," Rome mumbled. A whileter, after a few hours'' drive, Mr. Ondo came to a stop at ''Bluemoon casino,'' and Rome stepped out of the car. Then he stared at Scar, standing outside of the building with an eager look on his face. The moment he and K reached Scar, he hastily greeted Rome with a slight bow before following behind him as he headed into the building. When they arrived in the private room upstairs, Rome looked at Scar and said, "Show me what you got." "Okay, this took a lot of digging, but this is it!" Scar said with a hint of pride in his eyes as he took the ck cloth off a stand board. Then he watched a look of confusion glow in Rome''s expression before saying, "These are the names of people who have received a huge sum of money from an unknown bank ount that I linked to James'' personal assistant." "They are all women," Rome mumbled, frowning since he already had an idea of where the conversation was going. "Right! But I did some more digging, and these women all have one thing inmon. They all have had an interaction with James Earl and not his assistant." "Do you know what their interaction was about?" Smiling nervously, Scar scratched the back of his head and then mumbled, "Well, I did try to speak to one of thedies. But she won''t talk to me. I think she fears him." "Well, if she''s afraid to speak, then that means that whatever their interaction was, it could ruin Earl," Rome said, giving himself a second to think. Then he stared intensely at the names on the board before mumbling, "You should talk to her again?" "But, boss. She was difficult thest time we speak." "That''s why, this time, you aren''t doing it alone." It took a second for Scar to grab Rome''s words. Then he gave him a nervous smirk and said, "Yes, boss. But we have to wait until tonight. She works as a dancer at a club." "Seriously," Rome mumbled, sounding a bit frustrated. "Is the a problem, boss?" "No. Send me a location and time, and I will meet you there." The silence in the room suddenly got disrupted by Rome''s ringtone, and then he reached into his coat pocket, drawing out his phone. When he saw that Amara was the one calling, he immediately answered the call and said, "Good morning, Miss Amara." "Same to you, Mr. Ford. I''m at your office. But I got informed that you haven''t arrived at work yet, and I want to know if you areing or not." "I''m on my way." "I will wait then." After his call with Amara ended, Rome looked at Scar, gently tapped him on his shoulder, and said, "You did well." Even though Scar was burning with excitement for receiving such apliment from his boss, he waited for Rome to leave the room before tightening his fist and shouting, "Yes!!" It was eleven o''clock when Rome arrived in his office, and the moment he got seated behind his desk, he phoned Braden and told him to allow Amara toe inside. A couple of minutes went by. Then the office door opened, and Amara stepped in, walking over to an empty chair. After she sat down, she met Rome''s eyes and said, "I''m Amara Sharpe. I''m an Illegitimate daughter of my father, and well, NewWorld incorporation is his gift to my mother. His wife doesn''t know about it." Pausing for a moment, Amara studied Rome''s emotionless face. Then she continued, "So that''s why the two founders of NewWorld are unknown because even though my father''s wife doesn''t know about it, she knows that my father has a second family and who we are, so¡­" "If your names get attached to thepany, she will find out the truth." Rome unintentionally said out loud. "Yes. And now that my father is dead, his wife inherited all his wealth, and with the power that she has now, I''m afraid that she might want payback because she med my mother for ruining her marriage." "Well, that''s a justifiable reason to keep your identity a secret. But why did you get me involved?" "You literally beat up Jame Earl, and nothing came out of it. With a man like you as my partner, even my father''s wife would not have the guts toe after me or NewWorld." "So you are using me?" It immediately got silent between them as Rome and Amara maintained eye contact. Then she sighed and said, "Yes. I know it''s shameless of me to do so, but I''m desperate. However, that''s just one of my reasons for choosing you." "I think I have heard enough." Rome calmly intoned. With a touch of fear in Amara''s eyes, she stared anxiously at Rome''s emotionless face, wondering what his response would be, and yet, she wasn''t anxious to find out. "NewWorld incorporation is a very progressing business, and I see potential in it. So, I will be epting your offer of a partnership between you and I." Rome uttered with a straight face. "What!" Amara blurted out. Then she slightly shook her head and said, "You are really willing to do it?!" "Of course. I like honesty between the people that I work with and me. Since you have given me that, I don''t see the need not to agree with your proposal." Rome said, keeping his calm gaze on Amara. For a moment, she stared doubtfully at him and then thought, ''That freak is really a mastermind. He even made someone as difficult as Rome Ford believe such a lie. Maybe I should start listening more and stop rebelling.'' Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Six The sky was moonlit and dark blue when Mr. Ondo drove in front of "XS Nightclub." Then he looked at the v-mirror and said, "Sir, we are here." Not responding, Rome looked at the text he sent Catherine, "Babe, I will be home a bitte today. Don''t wait for me, okay?" After a few minutester, he finally got a message back, "Okay. I love you." "Love you too." Rome typed, and then he hit send. Putting his phone back into his pocket, Rome looked at K and said, "Let''s go." "Boss, Are you sure you want to go in there? That ce is chaotic and ouwed. Maybe we can get Scar to bring her out here." K humbly said, staring at the entrance of the club. Ignoring K''s words, Rome pushed the car door open and walked over to Scar, who was standing at the entrance of the building. "Where is she?" Rome asked. "She''s inside." Scar said, gazing at K as he approached them. Even though Rome was hesitant about going in, he kept a straight face and said, "Okay, let''s meet her." The moment they entered the club, the loud music instantly caused Rome to frown, annoyed by how earsplitting the sound was, and the smoky, hazy dim atmosphere made him ufortable. But he shoved his hands into his jacket pocket and followed Scar closely with K two steps behind him. When they reached a robust guy with a tattooed body and piercings on his nose and ear, Scar stopped, looked up at his face, and said, "Hey, Joe. Can you arrange another meeting with Natasha for me again?" "It seems like you enjoyed the first meeting," Joe said with a cocky smirk. "Tonight will be a bit costly since you are not alone." Then he looked at K and asked, "Who''s your friend?" At that moment, his gaze swayed towards Rome, and when he saw the hoodie covering Rome''s face, his expression grew cold as he said, "Also, why''s the other one hiding his identity?" When Scar didn''t reply, Joe scowled and said, "Ask him to take off the hoodie, or the deal is off." "I will pay triple the amount of our first deal." Scar casually uttered. It got silent for a moment. Then Joe sniffed and said, "Fine. Follow me." For a moment, he scowled at Rome before walking off, and Scar followed him with K and Rome just a few steps behind. A couple of minutester, they arrived in a private room, and then Joe looked at Scar and said, "Make yourselvesfortable. I will get the girl." Afterward, Joe left the room, and Rome stared around the ce for a moment before sitting on the red couch. Then he looked at K and Scar, standing in defensive positions, andmanded, "You two, sit!" "But, boss, isn''t that a bit risky. We can''t let our guard down at such a ce." K protested. "If Natasha walks in here and sees you guys like that, she will feel like she''s in a hostile situation which could make her not want to trust us or speak. Is that what you want to happen?" Without responding, K hesitated for a moment. Then he took a seat beside Rome, and so did Scar. A couple of minutes went by in silence, and when Scar began to feel like Natasha wouldn''te, the door opened, and a young-looking girl walked into the room. The moment Rome''s gaze rested on her, he immediately looked the other way and said, "K, give her your coat." "What?" Natasha mumbled beneath her breath, feeling shocked by his words. Obediently, K took off his coat and handed it over to Natasha, and even though she was shocked and confused by that, she epted it. "Is this a prank or something? Didn''t you call me in here to dance for you guys?" Natasha muttered as she stared at Rome and then at the coat. "Can you wear it, please?" Rome gently intoned. Feeling even more confused, Natasha wore the coat and buttoned it up. At that moment, her gaze unintentionally rested on Scar, and a look of fear clouded her eyes as she said, "It''s you again! What are you doing back here! I told you to stay away from me! I got nothing else to say to you!" "Can you calm down, please," Rome said, turning his focus back on her. The way that Rome spoke to her had Natasha a bit shocked and humble because she wasn''t used to her clients treating her with respect. "What do you want?" Natasha asked in a calmer tone All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "I want to know why you received such a huge sum of money from Earl," Rome said, studying her face. "What? How di¡­ did y-ou kn-ow. Who are you!" "I know that you are a very busy woman at this hour, so why don''t we skip the unnecessary questions and just tell me the answer to my question, uh?" It got silent as Natasha darted her eyes left and right, striving to hide her fear and tears. Then she focused on the space between Rome and her and mumbled, "The money was a tip, okay? Now can you all please leave?" "Earl gave you such a huge amount of money as a tip?" Rome asked, not buying a word she had uttered. Realizing what she said, Natasha hastily shook her head and shakingly intoned, "No, his assistant did. I have no dealings with James Earl, and he and I have never met or interacted before." When Rome didn''t speak, Natasha became even more nervous, and she unintentionally bit her nail. "Did he hurt you?" Rome boldly said, looking into her wet eyes. Immediately, Natasha froze with a nk expression on her face. Then she slowly swallowed and said, "No. No, he didn''t. Now, please leave." In that instant, there was a knock on the door, and then Joe''s voice echoed into the room, "You guys'' time is up with the girl." "I need more time with her. Name the price, and I will pay." Rome called out without taking his eyes off Natasha''s darting gaze. "If you want more time, you have to wait for her to get done with the other customer. Then you can apply for her again. That''s the rule." "I don''t have the luxury to wait for that long, so can you make an exception?" "I wish. But Rookie is not a very patient man, so the girl has toe with me." A shiver ran down Natasha''s spine to know that Rookie was the one requesting for her. Then she looked at Rome, and her breathing got a bit swallowed as she tried to stay calm. But he saw the fear in her eyes, and he knew that she was scared to meet this Rookie. "Boss, I think we should leave," K mumbled. "Tell Rookie that Natasha wouldn''t be dancing for him tonight because I just booked her for the entire night." Rome coldly said. Frowning, K hesitated for a moment and then said, "What are you doing, boss? We should be messing with this." "Right, boss. Rookie is bad news, and he doesn''t y fair in a fight. Maybe, we should stay out of this." Scar said. At that moment, Joe''s angry voice echoed into the room, "Rookie doesn''t like to be told what he can or can''t do. So for your sake, I asked that you let the girl walk out and leave here before things go south!" Ignoring everyone''s remark, Rome looked at Natasha and said in a low tone, "Do you want to meet Rookie?" Without any hesitation, Natasha shook her head as she fought back her tears. "Tell Rookie that tonight, he''s going to get told what to do, and he has to follow my orders." Rome loudly said in a cold tone. Chapter Twenty-Seven Chapter Twenty-Seven For a while, it was quiet. Then Rome heard Joe say, "Okay, it''s your choice. But if any damage urs in that room, you are the one paying for it!" Afterward, it became silent again, and after holding his tongue for a couple of seconds, K mumbled, "I guess the hard way it is." Pretending like he didn''t hear his bodyguard''s words, Rome looked at Natasha and said, "You fear him. But that''s not the only feeling you have for him. You also hate him." A look of hesitation clouded Natasha''s expression for a moment. Then she let out a soft breath and said, "I do fear Rookie, an¡­" "I''m not talking about Rookie, but James, James Earl." "Why won''t you let this go." "Because I hate him too, and I want to take him down before he hurts anyone else again." A bitterugh escaped Natasha''s lips as a drop of tear rolled from the corner of her eye, and then she frowned at Rome and said, "Take him down?! Don''t you know how powerful Earl is, or are you trying to y reckless with your life?!" "I do know how powerful Earl is, and that''s why I can assure you that I am one of the few men who can take him down." Rome calmly uttered. Lowering her brows, Natasha paused as she stared intensely at the hoodie covering Rome''s face, and then she boldly said, "Show me the face under the hoodie." Because of the title Rome held, he has been trying to avoid false rumors about him from getting on the media. But now that it was just Natasha and his men in the room, he decided that he was safe to show his face. So he reached for the hoodie, and as he was about to pull it back, they all heard a loud, "Bang!!" Then another harsh noise echoed from the door like someone was mming into it. "Open the door," Romemanded. "No!" Natasha abruptly shouted. Seeing that she was trembling, Rome slightly frowned and then said, "I promise that you will be fine. He''s not taking you out of here." Something about the way he said those words left Natasha feeling a bit better, and she tookfort in his promise. When another loud "Bang!" echoed into the room, Scar sighed as he stood to his feet. Then he walked over to the door, and the moment he opened it, a robust guy suddenly ran straight into the room, mmed into the wall, and dropped to the floor. Then a hunk with side-shaved long hair and piercings on his face walked into the room with about nine guys behind him. "Who''s the Wanker that is drunk enough to choose to get his ass whoop by me!" Rookie said, looking directly at Rome. Narrowing his eyes, Rome slightly raised his hand and said, "I am the stupid person you are looking for." "You have gut, fool, and for that, I will give you a minute to piss off from here." Rookie coldly uttered. Then he looked at Natasha and harshly said, "What are you doing standing still. Get yourself over here!!" When she didn''t react and stared at Rome, it annoyed him even further, and he shouted, "Move your ass over here now!" "Didn''t your mama give you the basics of how to treat ady, or you were just too dumb to learn!" Rome casually uttered, standing to his feet. Knowing that what was about to happen was unavoidable, K stood up, and Scar immediately understood what that meant. "My mama didn''t get the chance because she died after giving birth to me." Rookie sadly said. Immediately, the room fell silent, and Rome''s expression softened when he felt an ache in his chest as a memory of his mother crossed his mind. "Hahahaha! You stupid idiot. Look at your dumb faces!!" Rookie loudly said in a mocking tone. "That old witch is alive, but I wish that it was what had happened to her because she''s a pain in my ass! Talking about how I''m just like my father and I need to be a better man!" Then he looked back at his men, and when they saw the coldness in his gaze, they startedughing too. Tightening his fist, Rome frowned and coldly uttered, "You better get your sick self out of here before I make you leave the hard way!" "Make me! I want to see you try!" Rookie said with a mocking smile on his lips. When Rome didn''t react, he took a few steps towards him, leaned closer to his face, and whispered, "Shoot your shot, you son of a bitch!" Raw anger was all Rome felt when he heard those words, and he turned around, taking a step away from Rookie as a bitter chuckle escaped his lip. Then he suddenly turned around, swinging a punch at Rookie, and even though, Rookie saw iting, he didn''t have the time to react, and the blow viciously banged into his cheekbone. Screwing his face into a frown, Rookie sput his bloody saliva on the floor and then red at Rome, smirking as he ignored the pain in his jaw. It took a split second for chaos to rain in the room, and for everyone to start attacking each other. It was three to ten. But even with such an odd number, Rookie and his men found themselves at a disadvantage. With fear in her eyes, Natasha watched K lock his arm around one of the men''s necks before forcefully stepping the other guy in his stomach, and when the guy fell to the floor, K ran the first man towards the wall and mmed him into it. Staring wide-eyed at them, Natasha held in her breath when her gaze swayed towards Scar, and she saw him hook-kicked a guy in his chin before rushing for the next fellow. When Rookie got his fourth punch to the jaw from Rome, he knew that he wasn''t going to win this fight, and just the thought of that fueled him with rage. Feeding off that rage, he threw a punch towards Rome, and when Rome was about to block, he switched hands and swung his fist, striking Rome against his ear. A whining noise buzzed in Rome''s ear for a moment, and then blood began to roll down from his ear as a very agonizing pain ran through his head. When Rome realized that he was bleeding from his ear, he lost it, grabbed Rookie by his neck, dragged him to the wall, and mmed him against it. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Get out before I send you to the hospital." Rome coldly uttered with rage burning in his eyes. "Nah, you are the one who''s going to need medical help." Rookie softly said, giving a cold half-smile. At that moment, Rome felt a sharp pain on his side, and the only thought that crossed his mind was, ''Catherine is going to kill me if I don''t die here.'' As her eyes widened with fear in them, Natasha whispered with a drop of a tear running down her face, "Blood! Oh my, he''s bleeding." At that moment, K looked at the drops of bloodstain on the floor and shouted in anger, "Boss!" Chapter Twenty-Eight Chapter Twenty-Eight Keeping his fingers tightly around the de, Rome was striving his best to stop it from going further into his side. Although the cut he got in his palm was bleeding badly, and it was painful to keep holding onto the bare knife, he put all his efforts into stopping the de from pushing into his skin. "How long do you think you can keep this up, fool! A minute or maybe a couple of seconds?" Rookie coldly uttered, struggling to break his de free from Rome''s grip. Knowing that Rookie was right and that he was running out of energy, Rome became desperate and mmed his head into Rookie''s forehead, causing the back of Rookie''s head to bang into the wall. Both men were in agonizing pain, but Rookie was affected more, and the moment his grip slightly released from the knife, Rome snatched it out of his hand. Then he hastily looked into K''s worried eyes and threw the knife at him. The instant it hit the ground, K picked it up and frowned as he stared at his boss'' bloodstain on the de. Then he put the knife in the back of his pants before rushing in anger to one of Rookie''s men that tried to get off the floor and stepped his back, forcefully hitting him to the tiles. "Boss, you need medical attention." Scar said, realizing that the blood dripping from the cut in Rome''s palm had not stopped. Without looking back at Scar, Rome sniffed and said, "I know." Then he tightened the hand that was okay into a fist,nded a punch into Rookie''s bruised jaw, causing his head to banged back into the wall. "Does it feel good bullying someone weaker than you and taking advantage of them! Does it make you feel powerful! Does that make you think you are a mighty being!" Rome shouted in a fit of rage. Seeing his boss get another hit to the face, one of Rookie''s men hastily stood to his feet and tried to rush towards Rome, but Scar put his foot before him, and he tripped, falling face t to the ground. "How do you feel now, taking on someone your size!" Rome coldly uttered, striking another punch that sent Rookie''s head mming against the wall again. "Stop, please!" Rookie begged, unable to open his eyes. At that moment, a memory crossed Rome''s mind, and he could hear Mr. Ford tells his six years old self, "Giving your opponent a second chance is a weak choice. When you start the job, you finish it! That''s the right way to do it!" As those words rang in Rome''s head, he raised his fist. But at that exact moment, he experienced another sh of memory and heard Mr. Miller says, "Whenever you want to do something regretful, take in three deep breaths and then exhale slowly." Subconsciously, Rome drew the first breath and then slowly exhaled with his gaze focused on Rookie''s bloodstained nose. Then he dropped his fist to his side and said, "K, call the ambnce." "Yes, boss!" K said, hastily pulling his phone from his trouser pocket. Letting go of Rookie, Rome watched him drop to the ground and let out a harsh breath. Then he turned around, stared at Natasha, and yanked the hoodie off his head. Immediately her jaw dropped, and she paused for a moment before muttering, "Ro...me, Rome Ford!" "The one and only," Rome said, trying to ignore the pain tearing through his entire body. Frowning at the blood dripping from Rome''s wound, Scar ripped his shirt, walked over to him, and said, "Boss, your hand." Without uttering a word, Rome gave his hand to Scar, and he wrapped the cloth around Rome''s palm, tying it tightly. "The ambnce will be here in fifteen minutes," K said, staring at Rome. But his gaze remained fixed on Natasha, and he straightforwardly asked, "What happened between you and James Earl?" When she hesitated, he frowned and casually uttered, "Come on, that''s the least you could do for a man that almost died fighting your battle." A couple of minutes passed, and she didn''t respond. But Rome could see it in her eyes that she wanted to talk, yet, he uttered no other words. After a few more minutes had gone by, a group of EMTs and paramedics rushed into the room with Joe following closely behind them. When he saw Rome, he froze and mumbled, "I messed up! Oh, this is not good, not good at all!" "Mr. Ford, can you walk?" An EMT asked with a look of concern in her eyes. Swaying his gaze off Natasha, Rome stared at thedy and said, "Yes. The cut on my side isn''t that deep, so, yes, I can walk." "Okay. We will escort you to the ambnce now and do a full examination of your injuries. Is that okay with you?"All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Yes, it is. But actually, the ambnce are for these guys and not me. I just need you to patch me up, and I will be on my way." It fell silent as the EMTs and paramedics finally noticed the unconscious and heavily bruised-up men on the ground, and a look of raw shock clouded their expressions. "Scar," Rome called out. Without any hesitation, Scar rushed over to him and said, "Yes, boss." "Make sure after the hospital, the next ce these fools go in is prison. Got it?" Rome coldly said with a straight face. "Yes, boss." "Good." Without uttering a word, Rome gazed at Natasha. Then he looked at Joe and said, "I''m going to settle all the workers here and shut down this ce. Tonight is thest night that ''XS Nightclub'' will be operational." "What!" Joe abruptly shouted with fear glowing in his eyes. When he realized that Rome wasn''t kidding, he held his breath and worriedly thought, ''My boss is going to kill me first beforeing after you.'' Seeing that Rome was leaving the room with K and Scar, Natasha clutched her fist as she hesitated. Then she hurried after them and followed closely behind Rome, feeling more safe in his shadow. A few minutester, as the paramedics attend to the deep wound in Rome''s palm and the cut on his side, Natasha waited outside with Scar, feeling more nervous by each passing second. Finally, they got done with sewing and bandaging up Rome''s wounds, and luckily for him, the loss of blood that he experienced wasn''t that severe for him to need a blood transfusion. So he was discharged from the ambnce and cleared to go home. After Rome got out of the ambnce with K, he saw Natasha standing a few feet away from where he stood. But he said nothing and walked away. "Can we talk!" Natasha shouted after him. Stopping in his tracks, Rome slightly smirked, and then he turned around to face her with a straight face. With her gaze fixed on his, Natasha walked over to Rome, took a deep breath, and said, "James Earl drugged me and assaulted me in the worst ways that I wish your mind could not imagine. Then he paid me a huge sum of money for my silence because he did it without my consent." With tears shining in her eyes, she sadly smiled and said, "I guess that''s what I get for saying ''no,'' and standing by my word." "You didn''t cause this, James did, and he''s going to get what he deserves. I can assure you that." Rome said as his face hardened. "Can you take him down?" "Now that I know how messed up Earl is, he''s going down one way or another!" For the first time since Rome met Natasha, she finally smiled a happy smile, and the brokenness that he saw in her eyes from the moment he met her faded as her face lit up. "Thank you for believing me," Natasha mumbled as tears rolled down her face. "With the kind of job that I do, not everyone would believe that I said ''no'' to James Earl or even believe that he did something like that to me." Nodding slightly, Rome gave her a quick smile. Then he gazed at Scar andmended, "Don''t take her home. Find somewhere safe for her to stay and get her out of the country tomorrow." Frowning, Rome gazed back at Natasha and thought, ''Earl took a lot of effort burying his dirty deeds, and now that this mess has urred, I''m sure that it''s only a matter of time before he finds out that you talked to me andes to clean up any loose ends.'' Afterward, he walked away, leaving Natasha in Scar care and heading to the car with K. When Rome got into the backseat of the vehicle, Mr. Ondo took one look at K''s bruised face, and his question about why an ambnce was at the club instantly got answered. Then he stared back at Rome, and his jaw dropped, gazing solely at the bandage on Rome''s hand. "Oh man... Catherine''s going to be pissed," Rome mumbled, resting back against the seat as he squeezed his eyelids shut. "I''m sure Miss will understand. After all, you are doing all this for her and to keep her safe." K mumbled, trying tofort his boss. Chapter Twenty-Nine Chapter Twenty-Nine When Rome entered his mansion, he was about to head upstairs when he heard, "Sir." Immediately, he stopped, turned around, and gazed at an elderly-lookingdy staring at him. "What is it, Nora?" Rome calmly asked. "Umm... Ma''am is sleeping in the living room," Nora mumbled. Pulling his brows into a frown, Rome took a long look at the head maid and then said, "What!" "Well, Ma''am has been waiting for you toe home, and she fell asleep a few minutes ago." Nora humbly intoned. A minute went by with them gazing at each other in silence. Then Rome walked past Nora and headed into the living room. When he arrived, and his gaze rested on Catherine, a sigh escaped his lip. Then he walked over to her, staring down at her peaceful face. Not wanting to wake Catherine up, he bent over, lifted her off the couch, and carried her out of the living room, refusing to acknowledge the pain ripping through his body. After he got into their bedroom, he carried her to the bed,id her on it, and covered her before heading into the bathroom, leaving the door slightly open behind him. Stopping in front of the huge mirror at the face basin, Rome took off his jacket and then his t-shirt. At that moment, he felt a tender hand caressed his waist and then hug onto his stomach. "What took you so long." Catherine sleepily whispered, resting her head on his broad back and shutting her eyes. Gazing in the mirror, Rome could barely see her whole body because of their height and size differences. Then he stared at the bandage on his side and hand and mumbled, "Well, we encountered little issues that needed taking care of, so we had to handle them." "Did you¡­ did you guys sessfully handle them?" Catherine softly asked, sinking into the feeling of warmth that his bareback gave her. "Yeah. Yes, we did." "Then I''m proud of you." Finally, opening her eyes, Catherine raised her chin and rested it on Rome''s back as she pouted and then whispered, "I''m d you are home. I missed you." At that moment, Catherine''s hand rubbed against the bandage, and her brows pulled together in a frown as she said, "Honey, turn around." Shutting his eyes for a moment, Rome sighed heavily, and then he turned around and opened his eyelids, gazing at Catherine, staring wide-eyed at the bandage on his side. Then she suddenly pped her hand over her mouth and took two unstable steps back. "Okay, before you freak out, I need you to know that I''m fine. Even the doctor said so." Rome calmly uttered, watching tears well up in her eyes. "Honey, there''s nothing fine about a bandage on your stomach! Can you tell me what''s okay about a bandage wrapped around your hand, and your face?! Oh my, your face!!" Catherineshed out with trembling hands. Knowing that things were about to escte, Rome took a step towards her and softly said, "I can exin these bruises. You see, what happened was, when we were at the club..." "A club?" Catherine mumbled, raising a brow. "Yes. Okay, so one of the dancers¡­" "You were at a strip club?!" It immediately fell silent as Rome held back his tongue, knowing that he was making things worse. But his silence was all Catherine needed to assume that she was right. "Seriously! Okay, so how did the woundse about?" Catherine asked, running her fingers through her hair. "I was trying to help a dancer from being assaulted by an abusive customer, and a fight broke out," Rome said, knowing not to let out too much detail before she get more annoyed. Frowning at him, Catherine paused for a moment and then asked, "Who threw the first punch?" "Uhm?" Rome mumbled, pretending he didn''t hear what she said, even though he did. "Who started the fight?" "Well," Not needing him to finish the sentence because she already knew the answer, Catherine slightly threw her hands in the air and frustratingly said, "Rome you promised me that you were going to be safe!" Staring into her eyes, Rome tilted his head and said "I know, but¡­" "There''s no, ''but.'' You promised, and you intentionally broke it. I guess this is just another one of your broken promises!" Catherine said with a touch of hurt in her eyes. It became quiet as Rome gazed at her. Then he rubbed his brow and said, "The dancer was a victim of Earl. I needed her to be able to trust me so she could talk, and helping her was the best way I could think of, and it worked!" Forgetting about what she was angry about for a moment, Catherine frowned and said, "What do you This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. mean by she''s a victim of Earl?" "He assaulted her, and if my guess is right, she was not his only victim. He has numerous women that he had made his assistant deposit money into their ount." Rome exined, feeling a sense of rage. "What!" "Natasha imed that the money Earl gave was to silence her, and if that''s the case, it wouldn''t be strange if the others got paid to stay quiet too about what he did against them." Feeling disgusted, Catherine slightly clenched her fist and mumbled, "So, are you going to get her to testify against him so that creep can get locked up for good!? " "It''s not that simple. Making Natasha testify against Earl without any solid evidence will create a situation where it''s her words against Earl''s, and with the power he holds, no one would believe her, or they might choose not to do so." Rome said, feeling extremely angry now. Both of them didn''t speak for a while. Then Catherine suddenly met Rome''s eyes and said, "If it''s evidence you need to lock Earl up, I can help you get it. After all, he¡­" "No! Why would you evene up with such a thought?!" Romeshed out. "A man like Earl wouldn''t leave crumbs of evidence behind for you to find and use against him. I''m sure he has erased all connections with these women. But I can¡­" "I said ''no!" A frown crossed Catherine''s face as she stared at Rome''s angry expression. "I need you to stay away from Earl, very far away!" Rome said with a mixture of fear and anger clouding his eyes. "You get to go out and bruise yourself, and what? But I don''t get to take a bit of risk and help!" Catherine mumbled in annoyance. "Exactly!" "But," "Catherine, no!" Silence fell between them as Catherine gave him an are-you-serious-right-now look, and reading her facial expression, Rome frowned and said, "I''m dead serious. I need you to stay out of this and keep your distance from Earl." Fighting back her tears, Catherine looked away from Rome and sniffed. Then she hastily wept her face with the back of her hand and deeply inhaled. Staring at Catherine, Rome let out a harsh breath and then said, "You are my wife, and that means your safety is my responsibility. I will never forgive myself if something happens to you." "I wouldn''t put myself in harm''s way and be reckless. If only you can allow me to help, I¡­" Catherine mumbled, pausing when she saw Rome frowning at her. "Promise me that you will keep away from Earl," Rome said with a straight face. Knowing that she had no other option, Catherine put her right hand behind her back, crossed her index finger over the other, and said, "I promise." Without replying, Rome walked towards Catherine, gazed deep into her eyes as though he was trying to connect with her soul, and before she could utter a word, he pressed his lips against hers. Even though she was still annoyed, Catherine didn''t pull away, nor did she push him. But she allowed him to kiss her passionately. After four minutes had gone by, Rome finally drew away from Catherine, smiled, and whispered, ¡°Thank you, and don''t worry, I will handle Earl.¡± ''I''m sorry for lying.'' Catherine thought, looking deep into his calm eyes. Chapter Thirty Chapter Thirty With her back turned to Rome, Catherine clutched onto the sheets, unable to stop thinking about how Rome had broken yet another promise. Then she felt him shift on the bed, but she remained stiff, holding in her breath because she didn''t want to talk aboutst night with him again since she was still annoyed by it. ''Is she still mad?'' Rome thought as he stared at Catherine''s back, wondering when she would turn around and gaze at him. After a couple of minutes passed and she didn''t, he got off the bed and headed for the shower. When Catherine heard the bathroom door shut, she closed her eyes, drew a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ''Why do I feel so mad? I should be over this by now.'' Catherine thought, tightening her grip on the nket. A few minutes went by, then Rome returned to the bedroom, and finally, Catherine turned around and stared at him. Her gaze lowered towards the bandage on his side, and she frowned with a hint of sadness in her eyes. "What are you doing?" Catherine asked when she saw Rome walking over to the closet door. "Getting ready for work," Rome said, stopping in his tracks, and then he turned around to face her. "No, you are not, especially in your current condition." "Babe,e on. I''m not a kid. Also, these wounds are not that serious. I can go to work with them." "I know, but," The sudden sound of her ringtone caused Catherine to pause and frown at Rome. Then she reached for her phone and answered the call. "Morning, dad," Catherine said, staring intensely at Rome. "You and your husband shoulde to the mansion now!" Edward harshly said from the other side of the line. "Wait, what!?" "Get Rome down here immediately!" "What''s going on, dad?" "We can talk when you guys get here!" As Catherine was about to speak again, Edward ended the call, and she scowled. "What''s going on?" Rome asked, noticing the look of worry on her face. "My dad wants us to go to the mansion, and he won''t say why. But he sounded upset." Catherine mumbled, unable to stop the sudden negative thoughts crowding her head. Seeing how bothered and stressed she looked, Rome said without hesitating, "Okay. I can excuse myself from work today, and we can drive there." "Thanks," Catherine mumbled beneath her breath. At ten on the dot, a blue Lamborghini drove into the Barlows yard, and when it came to a stop in front of the mansion, Catherine stepped down from the front seat, and then the driver''s door opened, and Rome got out. Shutting the door, he looked at the building and frowned before walking over to Catherine. Afterward, both of them headed into the house, and when they arrived in the living room, Catherine and Rome realized that the entire family was there. Even though they were concerned and annoyed that everyone was present, Catherine and Rome calmly greeted. But the tension in the atmosphere didn''t decrease. "Well, it takes wealth and power to make a man''s true colors show! I can see that now." Edward said as he scowled at Rome. "What''s the meaning of that?" Catherine asked, feeling annoyed because she didn''t know what the meeting was about, and now her father was throwing ridiculous statements at her husband. "You don''t need to defend him or y strong, Catherine." "Okay, can someone tell me what is going on, like now!" Feeling extremely happy within himself, Charles frowned at Rome and said, "Uncle is talking about how your husband is cheating on you!" "What!" Catherine said in confusion. With a touch of satisfaction in her eyes, Chloe met Catherine''s gaze and said, "Cousin, I know it''s shameful to experience something so humiliating. But you don''t have to y dumb in front of us to keep face. We are your family and are here for you." "My husband is not cheating on me!" Catherine harshly said, unable to contain her anger. As tears shimmered in her eyes, Catherine''s mother gazed at her and whispered, "My poor baby." "Mom, he''s not." Catherine softly intoned. Eyeing Catherine, Richard sneered at her before gazing the other way as he thought, ''I wish so badly that your words are lies, and Rome is messing around because you two downfall is something that I can''t wait to see." Finally deciding that he had had enough of everyone''s nonsense, Rome red at all of them and firmly said, "Where did you all get such stupid news from that I was cheating on my wife?!" "Don''t pretend like you haven''t seen the news about you being at a strip club and leaving with one of their dancers. There are even testimonies about you getting into a fight and getting wounded for her." Edwardshed out, pping his palm on the couch. Shutting his eyes for a second, Rome took a moment to get over the feeling of frustration he felt. Then he looked Edward dead in his eyes and said, "Last night had nothing to do with me having a rtionship with another woman." Anger glowed in Edward''s expression as he frowned and firmly intoned, "Do you think I''m stupid and don''t know what rich men go to that ce to do!" "Have you been there?" Rome casually asked, staring coldly at his father-inw. Immediately, Edward''s face went nk. Then he slightly coughed and said, "Of course not!" "Then how do you know what rich men do there?" Rome asked with a straight face. It got silent as Edward stared away from Rome, and then he calmly uttered, "If you didn''t go to ''XS club'' to cheat on my daughter, then why were you there?" "I don''t think I owe anyone here an exnation of what I do and don''t do, except my wife." Rome coldly uttered. Frowning, Mr. Barlow cleared his throat and said, "I know to you this news is nothing but a rumor that wouldn''t affect you. But Catherine is a Barlow, and news about her husband visiting a strip club a few months after her wedding wouldn''t look good for our family." Then he frowned at Rome and said, "We are not as powerful as you to shield ourselves from such news, so even if you and my granddaughter are having marital issues, can you please be careful about how you go about your business?" "Rome and I are not having marital issues!" Catherine said, narrowing her eyes at her grandfather. "I know that you love Rome. But you don''t have to stand up for him, especially when he has wronged you in such a way! You should be standing up for yourself and not make this family lose face!" Edward said in anger. Then he scowled at Rome and said, "After what he did for you at the party the other day, he had my total admiration. But even so, I wouldn''t let him make us Barlows aughing stock in the country!" "It seems like you are not only confused but delusion!" Rome said in anger. "What do you mean!" "If you didn''t fail at your job as a father to Catherine for all those years, maybe your parents, your brothers, and their children wouldn''t have had the opportunity to look down on her, giving her difficulties!" Noticing that Edward looked angry by his remark, Rome hardened his face and said, "After all these years, you didn''t reflect on where you arecking as a father in her life and correct yourself. Instead, you are worried about her not making your family lose face!" Then he sighed and calmly uttered, "I thought you were going to do better. But I''m disappointed." "Don''t try to escape from the discussion at hand by bringing up an irrelevant topic." Edwardshed out. Even though he felt guilty in that instant, he boldly continued, "Our family will be a mockery because of what you didst night, and you want to teach me a lesson about being a good father. How about being a good husband to help us save face!" "It''s Catherine''s fault, so why are you allshing out at Rome." Madam Rosey abruptly mumbled. Immediately the room became quiet, and everyone''s attention swayed towards her. When Madam Rosey saw Catherine frowning at her, she narrowed her eyes and said without any remorse, "It''s a woman''s job to keep her home and make her husband satisfied. So if he starts looking for pleasure in other women, isn''t it her fault for not keeping him satisfied at home!" "Wow!" Catherine said in anger, feeling infuriated and stunned by her grandmother''s words. Drunk with rage, Rome clenched his fist and shouted, "That''s enough!! I need you all to shut up because it''s clear you don''t know a damn thing about what you are saying!" The room immediately got silent, and he harshly said, "Ahhaha!! I''m so pissed right now that I''m rethinking my decision not drag you all down into the dust and remove you guys from my wife''s way!!" Chapter Thirty-One Chapter Thirty-One The living room remained quiet for a couple of minutes. Then Rome looked at Edward and said, "Come with me." "Why? Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it before the entire family." Edward firmly said. Frowning, Rome narrowed his eyes and casually uttered, "Are you going to act so blind and only see what you want to see? If that''s the case, you are useless to me since your mind is one-sided." A look of shock crossed Edward''s face as he stared at Rome, realizing what those words meant. ''He has the position of one of the most powerful men in the country, and after I just used him, he still wants to help me. Maybe it''s time to stand by his side because with him, I have so many potentials to unlock.'' Edward thought, drawing a silent breath. Then he woke off the couch and walked toward Rome, and when Edward reached him, he looked at him and said, "Okay, let''s talk." Afterward, he walked past Rome, and as Rome was about to follow Edward, he caught Catherine Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. gazing at him. But he said nothing and walked out of the living room. When Rome met Edward outside, he looked him dead in the eyes for a couple of seconds, heavily sighed, and said, "How about you take Cyper Co. off my hand and run things there? You can start as the vice president there until you have proven yourself for a higher position." "What!?" Edward mumbled with a nk expression. "Why are you helping me?" "I have absolutely no interest in taking you under my wing. This is for Catherine." Rome coldly said in annoyance. Then he drew a deep breath and casually uttered, "Although you are terrible at being a good father to her, you are still her father. So I want to take you out of the toxicity in this mansion and see if you change." It grew silent as Rome studied Edward''s face, and then he said, "Working at Cyper Co. will put you in a position that will keep the other from looking down on you. But prove to still be a useless father afterward, and I will fire you and send you far away from my wife!" "You are being serious?!" Edward said, widening his eyes as excitement glowed in them. "But Cyper Co. is such a thrivingpany, and even DreamTeam is beneath it. Can I really handle being its vice president?" Turning away from Edward, Rome walked ahead as he said out loud, "That''s up to you to figure out. I have left my wife with those wolves for too long. I''m going back inside." ''It seems like I really misunderstood him this time. He truly cares about my daughter.'' Edward thought, feeling regretful of his previous action. When Rome entered the living room, his face hardened and his expression grew cold as he stared at everyone in the room. "These few months, I have been quite lenient with you all, and it has been because of my wife. But the time hase for you all to know your ce and where you stand!" Rome coldly uttered with dominance in his tone. No one spoke after he paused, ring at them, and then he continued, "If not for the fact that my wife has a heart for this family, I wouldn''t be this calm and epting of you all rubbish! To be honest, it is the hardest thing I have ever done." Frowning, Charles nced at Rome and thought, ''I hate this jerk to my bones!'' "From today onward, there will be some rules and boundaries set! Rule number one, I want you all to keep to yourself and stay out of Catherine and I affairs!" Rome firmly said, fixing his cold gaze on Mr. Barlow. Even though he kept his silence, Mr. Barlow swayed his gaze to the floor and thought, ''I am years older than him, but why do I feel so little in his presence.'' "Rule number two, my wife will not get judged, looked down upon, or humiliated by anyone of you! Also, she answers to absolutely no one in this household!" Rome said, swaying his icy gaze to Madam Rosey. With a look of nervousness in her eyes, she stared away from Rome as she thought, ''If you weren''t a Ford, do you think I would have even spoken on your behalf!'' Pausing for a moment, Rome focused on Catherine''s eyes, wondering what she would think about the words he was about to say. Then he looked back at Mr. Barlow and boldly uttered, "If any of these rules get vited, Catherine and I will cut ties with this family. Then I will make sure that the Barlows would be nothing but a name lost in the wind!" A look of raw fear mixed with touch of shock clouded Mr. Barlow''s expression as he stared at the trace of seriousness in Rome''s eyes, knowing that he had to do something quick. Even though Catherine was just as shocked as her grandfather, she kept her silence. Finally getting over his emotion, Mr. Barlow nervouslyughed and said, "There''s no need to be this serious about something we said out of thoughtlessness." Ignoring Mr. Barlow''s words, Rome looked at Catherine and said, "Babe, let''s go. I have said what needs to be said." In desperation, Mr. Barlow looked at Madam Rosey. Then when she noticed her husband''s gaze and understood his stare, she softly cried, "Catherine, we know we have failed you in so many ways. But we are the only family you have known since you were a baby. Please beg your husband on our behalf." "Yes, Catherine. You are a part of this family, and we might not be perfect, but we are all still blood." William hastily said, knowing that their n A was about to get ruined. As Elijah and Anthony fixed their gaze on Catherine''s eyes, they both nodded slightly, and Anthony gently intoned, "Your uncle is right. You should listen to him. But Catherine shunned their remarks and pitifully stared at the tears in her grandmother''s eyes, feeling stuck in a feeling of dilemma. Then she gave her a brief smile before holding onto Rome''s hand and saying, "Let''s go." With a look of envy in her expression, Chloe watched with burning desire as her cousin calmly followed Rome with her fingers entangled with his. After Catherine and Rome walked out of the living room, Mr. Barlow stared at his wife and asked, "Do you think she will talk some sense into that boy?" "I hope so." Madam Barlow mumbled with a look of worry on her face. Not uttering a word, Richard suddenly stood to his feet, shoved his hands into his trouser pockets, and walked out of the living room with nothing but hate glowing in his eyes. Acting on her feeling of envy, Chloe hastily took out her phone from her purse and texted, "Why have you been ignoring my messages since the night of the party? Have you seen the news about Rome being at a strip club?" It took a couple of seconds, then a message arrived on her phone screen, "Because I set the tform for you, and you failed to get Rome''s attention. I don''t like wasting my time and money on useless people." Although it annoyed Chloe that someone called her "useless," she held back her anger and wrote, "I''m sorry for wasting such a good opportunity. But I''m begging for a second chance. If Rome could find interest in a stripper, then I can get him to fall for me." A few seconds went by, then a text disyed on the screen, "Rome is not interested in that stripper. He was there for another reason. But that''s none of your concern." Frowning, Chloe read the message for the second time and then thought in annoyance, ''So Catherine was telling the truth, and Rome isn''t cheating on her?'' At that moment, her phone screen glowed bright, and she focused on the new message, "You will have your second chance, and when the timees, don''t mess it up!" "I won''t. Right now, I am willing to do anything to im the title of Mrs. Ford." Chloe wrote back. Three seconds passed, and then another text popped out, "Good. I hope you can keep that same energy when the timees. I have other ns, so for now, stand back and wait for my orders." "Other ns," Chloe mumbled beneath her breath. "What other ns?" Feeling frustrated within himself, Charles frowned as he woke from the couch and then silently walked out of the living room. When he reached the hallway, the vibration from his phone caused him to stop in his tracks and take it out of his pocket. His face hardened as he looked at the phone screen and read, "Charles Barlow, how would you like to be a part of DreamTeam once more?" Then he hesitated for a moment before texting back, "Who are you, and what sick joke is this?" Chapter Thity-Two 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 All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. 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.'' Chapter Thirty-Three Chapter Thirty-Three By three o''clock, Rome entered the living room, and the moment ze saw him, he stood to his feet and said, "Boss, the guys and I were talking, and we think it would be best if we all go with you on this trip." "Why?" Rome calmly asked. "Well, what happened yesterda..." "Weren''t you guys'' fault. So if you three feel the need to babysit me, don''t because I''m capable of handling myself." "But boss, if that knife would have gone any further into your side, you would have been seriously hurt. Ma¡­" "But it didn''t." Unable to let go of the feeling of guilt, ze made eye contact with Rome and said, "Pardon me for this, boss. But even though you are on top of your game and train constantly,st night only proves that you can''t let your guard down." "You guys seriously had a meeting on my name," Rome casually said, taking a seat on the couch. "Scar can''t forgive himself for what happened, and K won''t do the same. We need you to have enough backup, especially if you are dealing with a man like Earl." "Fine. Scar, Brook, and K cane along, but not you." "Boss, I¡­" "You should stay here with Catherine and make sure she stays away from the Earl family!" It fell silent as ze stared intensely at Rome. Then he lowered his brows and asked, "You want me to keep Miss in check?" "Yes," Rome said, noticing the look of hesitation on ze''s face. "Will that be a problem?" ''A problem? Of course, yes. You want me to tell, Miss, what she can and can''t do. What if I make her mad in the process or hurt her feelings? I respect you, boss, but I respect the woman that has your heart more!" ze thought, feeling anxious. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Then he focused on Rome, gave an awkward, brief smile, and said, Of course, not, boss. Miss is safe under my watch." "Good. If anything goes wrong, call me immediately." Rome said, standing to his feet. Without responding, ze looked at the tiles and thought, ''Now you want me to be a snitch too. Damn, boss, you are putting me in a tight spot.'' "ze!" Rome firmly called out. Snapping out of his head, ze stared at him and hastily said, "Yes, boss." "My wife''s safety is in your hands. Don''t mess up!" "Yes, boss! Rest assured that I will stick with my mission until you get back." At four-fifteen on the dot, Rome and Catherine were seated in the backseat of his limo as Ondo drove them to the airport, and driving in a jeep, a few distances behind them were Scar, ze, and Brook. The car was silent for a while, then Catherine looked up at Rome and mumbled, "Promise me tha¡­" Staring down at her, Rome noticed the look of hesitation in her eyes and asked, "Why did you stop?" "Mmm, you have toe home soon, and call me when you get there, okay?" Catherine softly intoned as her eyes lit up. "I will miss you." "I will be back home as soon as possible. But in the meantime, you have to stay by ze''s side and stay away from Earl, okay?" "Mmm, yes." When Rome raised his brows as he doubtfully gazed at her, Catherine nervously smiled and said, "I know that you are worried about me. But I promise not to get myself hurt and be safe. So try not to stress about me and focus on the issues at hand, alright?" "Call me if anything happens, and I will be on the next flight,ing home to you. Also, don''t hold back if anyone messes with you or forgets who your husband is." Sharp five on the dot, the ne Rome was on with Scar, Brook, Mr. Ondo, and K took off, and then it was just Catherine and ze seated in a ck Jeep. With tears setting in her eyes, Catherine stared at the windshield and softly sniffed, fighting her urge to cry. "Is everything okay, miss?" ze asked as he gazed at her, feeling awkward that she was crying and he had no idea on how to handle the situation. "When is tomorrow going to arrive? I''m starting to miss him already. What am I going to do?" Catherine subconsciously whispered. Knowing that this was his chance to get out of watching over his boss'' wife, ze''s face lit up as he said, "How about you buy a ticket and follow him there? I''m sure he will like such an awesome surprise." "No. Rome needs to work, and me following him will only serve as a distraction. I don''t want to do that to him." Catherine said, drying her cheeks with the back of her hand. Then she stared at ze and calmly intoned, "Also, I have things here that I need to take care of, and I need to focus on that and handle it before Romees back home." "Okay, Miss. We can do whatever you want to do, and I will listen to you." ze humbly said, feeling intimidated by Catherine''s gentle stare and innocent face. Then he snapped out of the feeling of submission for a second and asked, "What do you have to take care of before my boss gets back?" "Huh?" Catherine mumbled. For a moment, she stared at ze, and then she said, "I want to visit this restaurant." "A restaurant?" ze asked, feeling confused and suspicious at the same time. It took a while as Catherine scanned her brain for an excuse, and then she boldly said, "Yup. It''s called ''Seashore restaurant,'' and their Bluefin Tuna with Olive, Cucumber, and Cntro Relish is delicious. But Rome doesn''t like eating there, so I don''t go there." Even though the entire exnation didn''t make sense to ze, and he wasn''t buying a word she said, he calmly uttered, "I can drive you there if that''s what you want." "Yes, that''s what I want." Catherine hastily said. Then when ze gave her a doubtful stare, she gazed the other way and thought, ''ording to the information I got, Earl made a reservation at that restaurant tonight, and this is my chance.'' "Should I drive you there now?" ze asked in confusion. Without looking at him, Catherine responded, "No. First, take me home because I need to get ready. There''s a dress code for the restaurant." "Okay," ze said. Then he started the car engine and drove off, having a bad gut feeling. After they arrived at the mansion and Catherine headed into the house, ze stared at his phone screen for a couple of minutes. Then he unlocked it and texted Rome, "Boss, do you hate ''Seashore restaurant?" Frowning, Rome stared at ze''s message for a while and then wrote back, "No," The moment ze saw Rome''s text, he felt torn because he knew that Catherine had lied, and since he wasn''t in the know about why she did, ze didn''t want to tell Rome about it just yet. A few seconds went by. Then Rome texted, "Why did you ask?" When ze received the message and got through with reading it, he paused for a moment and then wrote back, "I''m taking Miss there to have dinnerter, and I just want to know if you were okay with the restaurant and her eating there?" "Sure, I am." Rome texted, still going over ze''s previous message in his head. "Are you okay with it??!" "Yes." Getting a bit concerned about ze messages, Rome''s face hardened as he wrote, "What''s going on?" "Nothing, boss. I will call you if anything goes wrong." ze quickly texted back. For a moment, Rome slowly went over his and ze''s texts. Then he stared at the ne window and frowned, gazing at the fluffy pillows of clouds. "Ondo," Rome coldly uttered. "Yes, boss?" Mr. Ondo hastily said, swaying his attention to Rome. "I need you to find out if James Earl will be dining at ''Seafood restaurant'' tonight." "Yes, boss." Chapter Thirty-Four Chapter Thirty-Four After waiting patiently for a couple of minutes, ze heard the front door open, and he immediately swayed his gaze towards it. Instantly, his jaw dropped, and he nkly stared at Catherine approaching the car, wearing a red slim fit, knee-length dress with her hair styled in a messy bun. ''Boss is so lucky.'' ze absentmindedly thought, admiring the smokey makeup on her face before snapping out of his head. Then he tried to get out of the car and opened the door for Catherine, but she had already got a hold of the back door handle and was opening it. When Catherine got seated in the backseat of the vehicle, a couple of minutes went by in awkward silence. Then she finally focused on ze and asked, "Is there something wrong with the car?" "No, Miss!" ze hastily said, turning the key in a rush. Feeling anxious, Mr. Ondo hesitated for a moment. Then he fixed his eyes on Rome and said, "Boss, ording to the information I gathered from a hostess at Seashore restaurant, Earl is going to be dining there today at nine o''clock." As Rome withdrew his focus away from the window and gazed at Mr. Ondo, his face bore no emotion while he asked, "What''s the time now?" "It''s six-fifteen, boss." All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Tell the pilot to do an emergencynding." "What?!" "We are going back home." By seven o''clock, ze brought the Jeep to a stop in the parking lot of ''Seashore restaurant,'' and then a couple of minutester, he escorted Catherine into the restaurant. After she had taken her seat at her reserved table, Catherine looked up at ze standing by her side and said, "You can sit." For a second, ze hesitated. Then he drew a chair and sat down, keeping alert by every sound and movement around them. A few minutes after Catherine had put her order in, the waiter approached her for the second time. Then he served her meal and left afterward. "Are you sure you don''t want to order something?" Catherine asked, staring at ze. But he slightly shook his head and said, "No, I''m good." It grew quiet for a moment between them. Then ze watched her slice into the fish and humbly asked, "Why are we ready here, Miss?" Pausing for a second, Catherine looked at him, sighed, and said, "I''m here to eat." At first, ze believed her and rxed a bit. But when eight-fifty-nine arrived, and Catherine was acting extra slow with finishing her drink, he didn''t trust her words anymore. Feeling a bit worried now, ze rested his hand on the table, slightly leaned towards Catherine, and gently said, "Miss, I think it''s time we leave here." Although he thought that Catherine was going to be angry, she softly smiled and said, "We will after I get done with my drink." Even though he knew that was another lie, ze rested back in his seat as he tried thinking of a way to get her out of the restaurant immediately. Then it suddenly clicked in his mind, and he said, "I tol¡­" A frown instantly crossed ze''s face as he watched a man he knew as Earl''s personal bodyguard approach the table. After reaching Catherine, the guy looked down at her and humbly said, "Good afternoon, Mrs. Ford. Boss Earl caught a glimpse of you when he walked into the restaurant, and now, he''s inviting you to share a drink with him in his private room." ''He''s here!'' Catherine thought, holding in her breath for a second. Then she smiled slightly and said, "Okay. Let''s go." Feeling absolutely worried now, ze walked up to Catherine when she stood to her feet and gently whispered, "Okay, it''s time to go home, Miss!" "What are you going to do to carry me out of here if I don''tply?" Catherine asked in a low tone as she stared at Earl''s bodyguard, standing a few distances away from them. "Nothing! But¡­" "ze, I know what I''m doing, okay? All you gotta do is stay by my side and don''t call my husband." Speechless from the frustration he felt, ze frowned as he watched Catherine walked past him, following Earl''s man, and thought, ''Boss is not going to be happy about this.'' Then he took out his phone and quickly texted, "Tony, I need you and the guys at standby outside of the restaurant, and wait on my signal. If by any chance you guys see Miss leaving the restaurant without me. Take her by force and carry her home." "Yes, boss." Tony''s message appeared on his screen a couple of seconds afterward. A few minutester, the three of them arrived at a door, and Earl''s bodyguard looked at Catherine and said, "My boss is in there." Hesitating for a moment, she nced at ze before pushing the door open and walking inside. Without a second thought, ze followed her in, and the moment Earl saw him, he slightly frowned. Then he swayed his gaze towards Catherine and calmly uttered, "Miss Catherine, I would prefer we speak in private." Even though being in the same room as Earl sent a shiver through her entire body, Catherine raised her chin, looked at ze, and said, "Wait for me outside." At this point, ze started feeling like the thought of lifting Catherine and carrying her out of the restaurant was a great option. But he didn''t act on his thoughts and left the room. The moment he got out, he red at Earl''s personal bodyguard before silently standing near the door. "Who''s he?" Earl asked, staring at the door for a moment before fixing his gaze on Catherine. The fact that Earl was interested in ze was the first red g Catherine picked up. But she stayed calm and said, "My bodyguard," "Rome Ford left his wife in the care of a single guard. He must be trusting of him then." Earl subconsciously said before getting a grip on his tongue. "I''m not in any danger or harm''s way, so why would Rome have multiple bodyguards behind me, especially since he only walks around with one." "That makes sense," Frowning slightly, Catherine met Earl''s gaze and asked, "How did you know that Rome is not in the country?" "Well, information is easy toe by when you have wealth and power." Earl casually said. Then he looked away from her, took a few bits of his sushi, and mumbled, "Miss Catherine, why are you being so rxed with me tonight? Thest time we met, you looked like you wanted my head on a silver te and was acting like a good, little wife." "Well, even a good wife would rebel if news about her husband being at a strip club and getting wounded for another woman be public on every media tform in the country," Catherine said, screwing her face into a frown. Then with a touch of sadness in her expression, she darted her eyes to the left and softly intoned, "Also, just because Rome beat up a scumbag for me, that doesn''t mean he''s not one." ''That''s the third time she called him by his name. She must be angry.'' Earl thought as he intensely gazed at Catherine, and then he faintly smirked. At that moment, another thought invaded his mind, and he slightly frowned as he inquired, "Did your husband tell you what he talked to Natasha about?" "Who''s Natasha?" Catherine asked without the slightest hint of hesitation. For a moment, Earl said nothing as he studied her expression. Then he gave a half-smile and said, "I know how sensitive such a topic is, so how about we drink and then talk about business afterward." Keeping silent, Catherine watched Earl pour red wine into a ss and set it in front of her. Then she looked down at the drink before looking back at him. When Earl noticed her gazing at him, he raised his ss and said, "Cheers," Without uttering a word, Catherine kept staring at him as she thought, ''Your drink had already gotten poured before I entered this room, and that bottle of wine has been sitting untouched on the table since I walked inside.'' Lowering her brows, Catherine stared as Earl took a sip of his drink, and then she thought, ''I know it would be a stupid move if I drink this. But what happens if I don''t?'' Chapter Thirty-Five Chapter Thirty-Five After staring at the wine for quite some time, Catherine looked at Earl, softly smiled, and said, "So, what about DreamTeam that makes you and your father want to work with me, except for the fact that you think I''m a sensual woman?" Then she watched Earl''s gaze lowered towards the ss before drifting back to her face, and feeling a bit pressured by his stare, Catherine picked up the ss and gave him a quick smile. For a while, she slowly twirled the ss in her hand and then boldly asked, "Are you going to answer my question, Mr. Earl?" "Yes! Right!" Earl said, pulling himself together. At that moment, his phone rang, and even though he tried to ignore and focus his attention on Catherine, the calls kepting. So he finally got frustrated and picked up the phone. Then he glimpsed at Catherine and said, "Excuse me for a moment." Afterward, he stood to his feet, walked a few distances away from Catherine, and turned his back to her before answering the call. Without wasting a second, Catherine took a bunch of the napkins, stuffed them in her purse, and then spilled the wine on them. When the ss was empty, she set it back on the table, closed her bag, and then turned her phone screen on to see if it was still recording. "Mr. Earl, what do you mean by our date is canceled! We were supposed to meet up and talk about you helping me to get the lead role for ''Skylight production'' new film!" Ady''s voice echoed into James'' ear, causing him to frown. "We can do it some other time!" Mr. Earl impatiently said in a low tone. "But you promise me that we will talk about it over dinner tonight. Also, how could you get your assistant to be the one to tell me that our n for tonight got canceled." "Let''s just say I caught a bigger and better fish than you, and such a rare opportunity isn''t something I n to waste." "What is that supposed to mean!" "Goodbye, Celia, and don''t you dare call me again, tonight. If you do, you can forget about your acting career as a whole!" After ending his call with Celia, Mr. Earl took a deep breath, and then he turned around to face Catherine. When their eyes locked, she kept a stiff smile on her lips as she watched him approach the table and then take his seat. "Were you too shy to drink in front of me, Miss Catherine?" Mr. Earl said, smirking at the empty ss before her. "Maybe, maybe not." Catherine softly intoned with a naive expression. Without saying anything else, Mr. Earl studied her face, and then after a few minutes when by, Catherine caught him staring at his watch, and she instantly guessed what that meant. Getting into character, Catherine drowsily gazed at him and then softly giggled. Then she fluttered her "Why ask, Miss Catherine?" Earl coldly inquired as his eyes grew dark. "I feel a bit hot and lightheaded." "Do you want to step out for some cold air? I can drive you to the beach, and we can talk more after your head is clear." Shutting her eyes for a second, Catherine softly moaned and then thought, ''If I leave here with Earl, I will get in more danger! I got to find a way to stall and get the information out of him right here and now.'' Then she slowly raised hershes, sleepily looked at Mr. Earl, and said, "I lied!" Immediately, a frown settled on Mr. Earl''s face as he calmly replied, "Oh, what did you lie about, sweetheart?" "I know who Natasha is and how you drugged her and abused her. The wine that I just drank, you spiked it, didn''t you?" When Mr. Earl didn''t respond and kept staring intensely at her, Catherine didn''t back down and asked, "Are you going to do to me what you did to her and the other women?!" "It depends," Earl mumbled, keeping his gaze on her dizzy eyes. "You know Rome isn''t going to let you walk away free if you do this! Also, there''s no way you can leave here with me. Not when ze is right out there. You should keep your tail between your legs and walk away before you bite more than you can chew." Frowning, Mr. Earl stood from his seat, walked over to Catherine, and red at her for a moment before raising his hand and viciously pping her. Tears settled in Catherine''s eyes as she kept watching his expression hardened. Then Mr. Earl leaned towards her and said, "A frustrated married woman who''s angry about her husband cheating on her with a stripper decided to get revenge by sleeping with the guy he hates to see, look at or talk to her." Frowning slightly, Catherine watched Earl faintly sneer and then said, "Whose story do you think people will believe more? You or me? Also, your so-called bodyguard is just one man. Do you think that he can stop me from leaving here with you?" "You bastard!" Catherine firmly said in a fit of rage. A mistyugh escaped Mr. Earl''s lip as he watched tears roll from the corners of Catherine''s eyes, and then he cockily uttered, "Ahh, name-calling. You sound so much like Natasha. She was the fiercest one among all of them." Grabbing Catherine''s jaw, Mr. Earl tightly squeezed it and said, "You should keep this energy forter and not disappoint me!" Feeling disgusted and filled with hate for him, Catherine stood to her feet and sput in his face. Then she hastily raised her hand and swung it at him. But Earl grabbed her wrist, and he was about to p her for the second time when the room door crashed to the floor with a loud, "Bang!" Both Catherine and Mr. Earl subconsciously stared at the doorway, and then her eyes widened as she watched Rome walk inside, looking deadass mad. The room immediately grew still as Rome frowned at her. Then he red at Earl and coldly uttered, "Get your filthy hands off my wife!" "Th-is, this! Hahaha, this was a set-up! You two set me up!!" Mr. Earl cried, tightening his grip on Catherine''s wrist. Unable to take the pain she felt, Catherine lowered her brows and cried, "It hurts." Those words instantly switched off Rome''s emotion, and he felt numb with rage as he moved straight towards Earl. As fear snatched his soul, Earl pushed Catherine in front of him and then shoved her towards Rome, and the moment she banged into him, Earl made a run for the door. But when he was just a few feet away from the doorway, he immediately stopped in his tracks as he watched K enter the room with Brook, Scar, and ze behind him. "Where is Stony!!" Earl shouted, taking two unstable steps back. "I knocked him out a while ago." ze said with a smirk. Stuck in the feeling of denial, Mr. Earl mumbled in confusion, "My men! There''s no way you guys could handle them all." "You must be stupid to think that I was the only one protecting Miss tonight." Finally, reality hit Earl, and he slowly shook his head, mumbling, "No, this can''t be." Then Earl suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder, and when he turned around, Rome''s fist mmed into his face, causing him to ckout for a second. Unable to sway her gaze away from Rome, Catherine felt her heart thudded in her chest as she watched Rome fiercely deliver another punch against Earl''s jaw. "Wait!" Earl screamed as Rome was about to strike the third punch. A look of hesitation spiked in Rome''s eyes, and he paused, and at that exact moment, Earl''s anger woke, and he threw a punch, hitting Rome in the mouth and cutting his bottom lip. With a touch of calmness in his eyes, Rome slowly licked the blood off his wounded lip and smirked. Then he fixed his cold gaze on Earl and said, ¡°You shouldn''t have done that!" Blinded by intense rage, Earl threw a second punch. But before it could touch Rome, he dodged. Then without taking control of his anger, Rome swung his leg at Earl, mming his foot against his cheekbone. Losing his bnce for a moment, Earl took two steps back. Then he swayed slightly on his feet, made a fist, and waved it towards Rome''s face. But his hand passed a slim distance near Rome''s right eye, and even though he missed his first strike, Earl swiftly sent another hit, viciously blowing Rome in the nose. ¡°Do you think I''m going to stick my tail between my ass while you look down on me! Your wife was the want that came on to me!¡± Earlshed out, feeling blood running down his lip. "You must be a bonehead if you think I''m stupid enough to believe that my wife has a thing for an idiot like you!" Rome mockingly said,ughing bitterly. Those words caused a fit of fresh anger to swelled through Earl, and blinded by rage, he raced towards Rome. But Rome suddenly grabbed him by his hair, yanked his head toward him, and mmed his forehead into Earl''s nose, breaking it instantly. ¡°You bastard!¡± Earl''s shouted, striving to get a hold of Rome''s hands. pping Earl''s right hand down, Rome smashed his elbow into Earl''s throat and grabbed him by his wrist, then locked it behind his back.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡° Kill me now, or else, if I ever get the chance, I''m going to send you and her to hell." Earl firmly said, striving to break loose. "Fine! I''ll make your wishe true." Rome coldly mumbled in his ear. Chapter Thirty-Six Chapter Thirty-Six Tightening his grip on Earl''s hand, Rome knocked him to the ground before angrily punching him countless times in the face. The pressure that Rome put on Earl''s body had him unable to break loose or defend himself as Rome''s fist mmed into his jaw, causing him to taste a surge of blood on his tongue. ''He''s not going to do it, right?'' Catherine thought, staring at the blood on Rome''s knuckle as it mmed into Earl''s face. Without talking, K looked at Brook with a hint of worry in his eyes. But he maintained his silence, even though he knew K''s stared meant, "Should we intervene?" After receiving another punch from Rome, Earl struggled, lifted his hands, and grabbed him by the cor. But Rome held his wrists and yanked his hands away from him, ignoring the fact that the snitches in his palm had ripped, and he was bleeding from the cut. Then he met Earl''s eyes before his fist cluttered on Earl''s face, and then he put a hole in his stomach. "Don¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t kill me¡­ I was stu-pid for mak...ing su..re a sta-rt!¡± Earl cried in pain. Although Rome could hear the fear in Earl''s voice and saw that he was hurt badly, he didn''t hesitate to strike him in the already bleeding nose as he angrily said, "You want me to give you the mercy you never showed to any of your victims!!" Then his face hardened as he firmly asked, "If you had had the chance to leave here with my wife tonight, would you have shown her mercy if she would have cry and beg you for it!!" The moment Rome saw a touch of hesitation on Earl''s face, he lost it totally, and raised Earl''s by his cor and then violently threw him against the table. A sharp pain surged through Earl''s spine when his back mmed into the edge of the table. Ignoring the agonizing pain tearing through him from the stabbed wound on his side and his bleeding hand, Rome moved for Earl, and with fear glowing in his eyes, Earl tried to escape. But he was too injured to take a step. Still fueled with rage, Rome grabbed Earl''s neck and pinpoint him against the table, staring dead into his red and puffy eyes. "I''m not the enemy here, Rome!" Earl cried as he tried to catch his breath. "I have absolutely no patience for useless chit-chat!" Rome coldly uttered, hesitating to tighten his grip on Earl''s neck. Struggling to inhale and exhale, Earl pleadingly stared at Rome and hastily cried, "There''s someone who wants your downfall more than me! He¡­or she knows about things that they shouldn''t know." Then when he felt Rome''s grip loosen around his neck a bit, he quickly said, "They are the reason I got entangled with your wife''s useless cousin and got involved in this mess with you." ''The puppets'' master,'' Rome subconsciouly thought as his face deepened into a frown. After a brief pause, he then focused on Earl''s bloody face and asked, "You said, ''he or she¡­'' Does that mean you don''t know who this person is?" Noticing a hint of concern in Rome''s eyes, Earl took it as his chance of escape and cunningly said, "Take your hands from around my neck. You don''t want me to die knowing such an important information, do you?" Annoyed by the cockiness in Earl''s tone, Rome slowly let go of his neck. Then he took a few steps back and turned away from him for a second before suddenly turning around and mming his fist into Earl''s temple. Instantly, Earl''s ckout and dropped to the floor, losing consciousness. ''I was right. There''s a puppet master, and if I want some idea on what or who I''m dealing with, this loser needs to keep breathing.'' Rome thought, frowning at Earl. Then he swayed his gaze on Catherine, and at that moment, she lifted her head and her eyes rested on his. Without saying anything, Rome walked up to Catherine, and when he was only a foot away from her, he entangled his fingers with her, and said, "Let go home." Unable to decide from Rome''s expression if he was angry or not, Catherine obediently followed him. But as they were about to walk past the table, she softly intoned, "My phone." Then when Rome stopped and gazed at her, she said, "I have Earl''s confession on it." Letting go of her hand, Rome sighed and mumbled, "Go get it." A few minutester, he and Catherine were seated in the backseat of his car, and even though Mr. Ondo had been driving for quite a while, she and Rome had said nothing to each other. But when she suddenly looked down at her hand and noticed the bloodstain he left on her palm, she let out a shaky breath, feeling angry at herself that everything that had happened was because of her. ¡°All this is my fault.¡± Catherine finally mumbled, tearing up as she gazed at his knuckles. At first, Rome felt too angry to speak. But then he heard her soft sob, and he squeezed his eyes shut for a second before gazing into Catherine''s wet eyes. Although he wanted tofort her, he couldn''t bring himself to stop thinking about how differently the night was going to go if Scar wasn''t smart enough to call him or get Tony and the other involved, and those thoughts made him keep silent and stare back at the windshield. A whilete when they got home, Rome headed straight for the bathroom to attend to his wounds, leaving Catherine in the bedroom. But she followed him, and when she arrived in the bathroom, Rome was slowly removing the bandage from his hand. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "Can I help with anything?" Catherine mumbled beneath her breath. When Rome didn''t answer and kept unwrapping his bandage, a look of remorse spiked in her eyes as she pitifully stared at him and thought, ¡®He''s really angry.¡¯ Then she locked eyes with him and sadly intoned, "I shouldn''t have taken such a risk." ¡°Do you know what you did to my heart today?¡± Rome firmly said, maintaining stable eye contact with her. Unable to look away from his angry eyes, Catherine softly whispered as tears rolled down her face, "I''m so sorry." Not replying, Rome took off the stained bandage and fiercely threw it into the trash bin before attending to his cut, and as Catherine watched, she couldn''t help but mumble, "Shouldn''t you be getting that check at the hospital?" "After living through a childhood of fights and bruises, I''m capable of attending to the wounds that I sustain," Rome mumbled, wasting alcohol on his wound without even flicking. While watching him wrap a new bandage on his wound, Catherine''s eyes bore anger in them as she screwed her face into a frown and said, "You shouldn''t have beat up Earl, especially in your current state." "And allow him to think that he can p my woman and go free? I will pass." Rome calmly intoned. Speechless from shock, Catherine nkly stared at Rome, and when he felt her gaze on him, he met her eyes and said, "I saw the red fingerprints mark on your cheek." Then he frowned and casually said, "And if you really cared about me not beating Earl up, you should have stayed away from him as I asked." ¡°There were other ways you could have dealt with Earl, instead of getting yourself hurt in the process!¡± ¡°No, Catherine! There weren''t! So much is going on here that you don''t understand, and all I asked of you is to listen to me!¡± ¡°Maybe I will listen if you had allowed me to help when I asked you! But all you did was shut me down! Why can''t you trust that I want to be there for you as you are for me!!" Pausing for a moment, Rome saw the look of raw frustration on her face, and then he said, "Because I''m afraid, babe." Chapter Thirty-Seven Chapter Thirty-Seven Keeping his eyes on Catherine''s worried face, Rome lifted his hand and said, ¡°Do you see this cut,¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Catherine softly intoned, focusing solely on the bandage on his palm. Without uttering another word, Rome pulled his shirt off his body, tossed it to the floor, and said, "And this, do you see it?" All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. At first, Catherine felt hesitant as she stared at the bandage on his side, but before she could realize it, the tip of her fingers was gently caressing against his skin, and she whispered, "Yes," "They will both heal. But do you know what will never heal if it got wounded?" Rome calmly uttered. Although Catherine already knew the answer, she stayed silent as she stared solely into his eyes with a hint of sadness in hers. Then hershes flickered when she felt Rome hold her hand and bring it towards his chest. "My heart. It''s never going to heal if something happens to you." Rome said, resting her palm t against the left side of his bare chest. Feeling every single beat his heart made, Catherine pouted and mumbled beneath her breath, "I only wanted to help." "I know, and I appreciate you so much for having such a thought. But your family, Earl, and everyone else that I have fought with, they are foes that I know, and I took them on with a clear vision." Rome wholeheartedly intoned. Then he rested his palms on Catherine''s arms and said with the utmost seriousness, "But there is an enemy out there who I''m in a battle with that I have not the slightest bit of idea about. I''m fighting blindfolded here. Do you know how hard that is?" Keeping silent, Catherine gently shook her head without looking away from Rome. When he noticed her gave a despairing little shrug, he paused for a moment, realizing how much his words were weighing on her. But then again, Rome didn''t want tonight to repeat itself, so he maintained eye contact with Catherine and continued, "It was safe when I was just Rome Miller, the useless live-in son-inw of the Barlow family, and people looked down on me." A frown shed across Catherine''s face, and Rome faintly chuckled and said, "That''s the truth. It was much easier back then. But now, I''m Rome Ford, and myst name is like a ma for enemies and a red dot on my chest." Then he silently gave her a long stare before gently uttering, "That''s why I need you to stand behind me. Not in front of me or beside me, but behind me, so you wouldn''t get hurt. Got it?" Overwhelmed with emotion, all Catherine could do was nod because her words kept getting stuck in her throat as she choked back her cry. "Good," Rome softly said, resting his palm against her cheek. "You should head back inside, and I will join you in a little while, after changing this." For a moment, Catherine looked at his side, wondering how bad it was going to hurt him to take that bandage off. Then she gave him a quick smile before leaving the bathroom. A couple of minutester, Rome walked into the bedroom and stared at Catherine. Then his gaze swayed towards her phone, and he mumbled, "So, what evidence do you have on Earl?" For a moment, Catherine''s eyes lit up a bit as she picked her phone off the bed. But then she suddenly froze with it in her hand and mumbled, "Ummm¡­" "What is it?" Rome asked, walking over to the bed. Lowering her gaze to the floor, Catherine gently rubbed her neck and mumbled, "Well, I said some awful things to make Earl talk." "Okay, like what?" Rome casually asked. A minute when by quietly. Then Catherine nced up at Rome before handing her phone over to him and nervously saying, "You y it. I don''t think I can." At first, Rome did nothing as he stared at her phone in his hand. But after a couple of seconds of hesitation, he unlocked the screen and went to the audio recording icon. For a few minutes he and Catherine listened to the audio in silence until she heard, "Also, just because Rome beat up a scumbag for me, that doesn''t mean he''s not one." "I didn''t mean that!" Catherine hastily said, fixing her eyes on Rome. But his face remained calm as he listened to the rest of the audio, and even though she tried, she couldn''t guess from his expression the entire time what he was thinking. After the audio ended, Rome looked at Catherine with a straight face and said, "You got nerve, woman, calling your husband a scumbag and flirting with Earl like that." Instantly, Catherine''s entire face became pale, and she softly intoned, "I didn''t mean what I said, and I wasn''t flirting with Earl. I was jus¡­ I just wanted to get the information out of him!" "Oh really," Rome calmly asked. With a nk expression on his face, he took a step towards Catherine, and she was so perplexed that she dropped back on the bed and squeezed her eyes shut as she hastily said, "I honestly don''t think you are a scumbag." Then a couple of secondster, Catherine felt Rome''s weight above her, and she slowly raised her As his face hardened, Rome drew towards her, pressed her t against the bed, and locked both of her wrists in his grips. ¡°How could you say such a thing about me, and you didn''t even acknowledge me as your husband the entire time?¡± Rome said, looking deep into her eyes. ¡°I''m so sorry,¡± Catherine whispered, unable to look away from him. Although Rome was trying so hard not to, he couldn''t help it, and he suddenly burst intoughter, giggling loudly as he watched a look of confusion settle on her face. "I''m sorry, but you are just so cute when you are nervous, and it made me want to tease you more." Rome said, striving to stop himself from giggling. Feeling annoyed and relieved at the same time, Catherine hit him in his chest and mumbled, "That wasn''t funny." "Okay, I''m sorry," Rome said, still unable to stop himself from chuckling. Watching him struggling to hold in hisugh, a smile crept on Catherine''s lips, and she mumbled, "You know revenge is a thing, right? Enjoy now because I will get you back, good." Locking eyes with her, Rome finally quiet down. Then within less than a minute, the space between their faces got smaller, and without a second thought, Rome imed her bottom lip, and the deeper he kissed her, his grip on her wrist slowly weakened. For a while, Catherine allowed her thoughts to get buried into the moment as she drowned in the feeling of pleasure she felt. But the instant she and Rome''s mouth part, she took a second to breathe and mumbled, "So, do you think the audio is enough to get Earl behind bars?¡± "Yeah, with the recording and the testimonies of his other victims, we have a strong chance of locking him up for a couple of years," Rome said. Then a thought suddenly crossed his mind, and he subconsciously mumbled, "I should call Scar and find out how things are going on their end." After getting ahold of his phone a couple of minutester, Rome dialed Scar''s number and waited patiently with his gaze on Catherine''s curious eyes. The moment his call got answered, he said, "I just got a hold of the recording Catherine made from her meeting with Earl, and I need you to use it and get Earl arrested and make sure that he doesn''t leave the hospital room tonight." "Yes, boss." Scar said from the other end of the call. Then the line went quiet for a couple of seconds before Scar''s voice echoed, "Boss, we were nning to tell you about this tomorrow. But since you already called, I want you to know that Earl is in aa due to an overdose of pentobarbital." "No. Wait, what?!" Rome firmly uttered in disbelief. "We left him in the doctor''s care for a couple an hours, and afterward, we got informed that he went into shock. The troubling part is, no one knows how it happened, and his phone is missing." "He was attacked?" "I''m not sure. But it seems like it, and the doctors imed that there''s a fifty-fifty chance he mighte out of thea fine. But right now, they are not sure about much." "Damn it!!" A look of worry crossed Catherine''s face as she watched Rome pace back and forth. A minute passed, then Scar asked, "What should we do now, boss?" Stopping in his track, Rome frowned as he wondered in his head for a while, and then he deeply sighed and stared away from Catherine. "Still make the arrest. At least that will stop his father from having the ess to fly him out of the country for now, and I need men at the hospital twenty-four hours. We can figure out the restter." Rome firmly said, feeling a bit overwhelmed with stress. Chapter Thirty-Eight Chapter Thirty-Eight The sound of a gentle knock on their door forced Rome to open his eyes. Then he stared at Catherine in his arms before pulling his hand from beneath her and leaving the bed. When Rome reached the door and opened it, he gazed at Nora with a touch of dizziness in his eyes and asked, "What is it?" "Good morning, sir. Your father wants me to let you know that he''s here, and he wants to speak with you." Nora humbly said. "Which one?" "Mr. Miller." The sleepiness Rome felt suddenly faded when he realized that Mr. Miller didn''t call him after the news about Natasha and him became public. Also, a look of anxiety clouded his eyes, and he couldn''t help stressing that Mr. Miller might be angry with him about that. "Tell him that I will be down in a second," Rome said. Then he shut the door, headed into their closet, and came out a couple of minutester, wearing a sweatsuit. Pacing back and forth in the living room, Mr. Miller took his time to admire photos of Catherine and Rome''s, hung on the wall. When he got to thest photo, he finally heard footsteps approaching the living room, and he slowly faced the entrance. A couple of secondster, Mr. Miller was staring at Rome, and he remained still as Rome walked into the living room. "Good morning, Dad. What brought you here so early?" Rome humbly said, slightly clearing his throat as he studied his father''s straight expression. Then after Mr. Miller didn''t reply for a couple of seconds, Rome assumed the obvious and said, "I''m not seeing Natasha and cheating on Catherine." "Oh, I know that. I wouldn''t believe such a piece of rubbish news." Mr. Miller casually said without losing his serious expression. Unable to stand his father''s silence any longer, Rome took a deep breath and asked, "Then why do you look so disappointed like I''ve done something wrong." Keeping quiet for a while, Mr. Miller continued to look at Rome''s face, and then he mumbled, "There''s news going around that you beat up Earl to the point of death and put him in aa." "I did beat Earl, but not to the point of death, and I definitely didn''t put him in aa," Rome firmly said, looking directly at him. It fell silent between both men as Mr. Miller stared at Rome for quite a while. Then he faintly smiled and mumbled, "I believe you, but I jus¡­" In that instant, the smile on Mr. Miller''s face suddenly broadened as he gazed at Catherine approaching them. Grinning at Mr. Miller, Catherine stopped beside Rome, looked at him for a moment, and said, "Morning, father." "A pleasant morning to you, dear." Mr. Miller uttered with a bright smile. Unable to let go of his father''s unfinished statement, Rome kept his gaze fixed on him and asked, " But you just, what?" Immediately, Mr. Miller''s face turned serious, and he focused back on Rome as he said, "I just wish you wouldn''t have got into a fight with Earl again. If you didn''t, such a piece of awful news wouldn''t be going around about you." Pausing for a moment, Mr. Miller heavily sighed. Then he sadly said, "I would also not have to hear my neighbors talking badly about my son so early in the morning, inside of my shop." "Father, please don''t get disappointed with Rome. What happened yesterday was all my fault, not his." Catherine hastily said, looking pitifully at him. Swaying his attention off Rome and putting it on her, Mr. Miller''s eyes widened as he mumbled, "Huh?" "For an appropriate reason, Catherine wanted to help me out and got involved in a situation with Earl "So it''s like that." Mr. Miller mumbled, looking back at Catherine with a hint of gentleness in his gaze. After staring down at Catherine for a second, Rome took her hands in his and said, "What happened neighbors for it." "It''s not a problem, and who cares what they think. I kicked out the two customers who were talking bad about you, and I''m willing to lose more customers if that means defending my son''s honor!" Mr. Miller boldly statedas he tightened his fingers into a fist. Feeling his phone buzzing in his trouser pocket, Rome pulled it out of his pocket and said, "I need to take this." Then he let go of Catherine''s hand and walked out of the living room. When Rome was a few distances into the hallway, he finally answered the call and said, "Morning, father." "Have you seen the news?" Mr. Ford said from the other end of the call. "No, but I''m aware of it," Rome uttered, frowning slightly. Then he paused for a moment before unintentionally saying, "Earl being in aa, you weren''t the one behind it, right?" "Seriously, Rome!" Mr. Ford''s voice echoed from the phone speaker, sounding disappointed. "Sorry, I didn''t mea¡­" "If I was actually involved with Earl, him being in aa wouldn''t be the information on the news. It would have been worst than that. Also, why would I do something and frame you for it." "Frame me?!" "That''s something we need to discuss in person." A minute when by in silence. Then Rome said, "Right now, my concern is how these pieces of information are getting out and who''s releasing them to the media. If anything, answering these questions could lead me to the puppets'' master." "The what?" Mr. Ford asked from the other end of the call. "It''s a long story," "Okay. You can tell me all about it at the casino because I''m waiting for you here." "I''m on my way." By twelve on the dot, Rome arrived in the upstairs room at the casino and shut the door behind him. Then he looked at Scar, Brook, and ze, and when he saw the seriousness in their expressions, he frowned and said, "What''s going on?" "We got the CCTV camera footage from the hospital of the person who did it." Scar said, scowling as his eyes darkened with anger burning in them. "Okay, I feel like there''s a ''but'' here," Rome said, feeling like he wasn''t going to like the response he Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. was going to get next. "The person was dressed exactly like you. I recognize that the jacket they wore was the same one you bought and had on when you went to meet Mr. Aaberg at the restaurant, and their mask and cap were also exactly what you wore." K angrily uttered. It took Rome a moment to fully understand what K was saying. Then he frowned and said, "But I bought those items a while back!" "Exactly, boss. You are being watched, and I don''t think it started recently." Brook stated as anger spiked in his eyes. Although ze felt enraged just by thinking about it, he still uttered, "Whoever this person is, he is clearly a mastermind and has been nning this for a long time." Those words worried Rome more than it enraged him. But he ignored the feeling as he tightened his fist and said, "Earl said someone was using him to get to me. I think the same person is the one responsible for Earl being in aa, and now, he wants to frame me for it with this news and the outfit." "You''ve been on to this for quite a while now, right? That''s why you were asking me all those questions back at the hotel and iming that Earl wasn''t behind Catherine and Chloe wearing the same outfit." Mr. Ford said with a straight face even though he felt a bit worried now. "Yes, whoever this person is, they are set on getting me." "Nahh... They are out for me. You just happened to be my only soft spot and reason left on this earth to grief." The room fell silent, and then fear glowed in Rome''s eyes as he mumbled out loud, "But Catherine is my soft spot." Chapter Thirty-Nine Chapter Thirty-Nine The room was quiet for a while. Then Scar hung his head and mumbled, "Every second that goes by with me knowing that someone is out there who''s after you, and there''s nothing I can do right now makes me feel useless and like I''m failing you, boss." Resting his gaze on Scar, Rome frowned and said, "It''s not the time or the ce to wallow in self-pity. You want to feel useful! Okay then, I need you to find out how these media tforms are getting hold of this news so quickly." There was a brief pause as Rome intensely stared at K, Brook, and ze without speaking. Then he raised his chin and said, "For now, the only advantage this person has over me is their identity. And that puts me at a disadvantage because they know who they are fighting, but I don''t." It fell silent for a moment as Rome held back his words and intensely gazed at his men, and then he firmly said, "We need to even the field by finding out who we are up against. That''s the only way we are going to have a chance for a win." "What if we can''t find who is doing this?" Scar mumbled out loud instead of saying it in his head like he intended to do. The room fell silent, and Scar slowly raised his head, feeling a bit nervous as his gaze met with Rome''s icy stare. "I should head out and start digging for information on how this news got out." Scar mumbled, looking away from Rome as he stood from the couch. Frowning slightly, Rome red at the others and firmly asked, "Does anyone have any negative opinions they would like to share?" "Actually, I have to check out a few more CCTV cameras near the hospital to see if I can find out more about the person that put Earl in aa. So I''d like to excuse myself." Brook calmly stated, standing from his seat. "I will be taking my leave too. Because¡­ because¡­" ze hastily muttered, pausing for a moment before saying, "I got it! I have to interview the hospital staff. Maybe one of them witnessed something that could be important." Without wasting another minute or waiting for a response from Rome, Scar, Brook, and ze walked out of the room. After the door shut behind them, K looked at Rome and said, "I think it will be helpful if I stop by at the store you got those items from and see if I can get any useful information." "Okay, go ahead and do that." Rome absentmindedly mumbled. Once K left, and it was just Mr. Ford and him in the room, Mr. Ford calmly gazed at Rome for a while and then uttered, "You are handling this well, son." "Why doesn''t it feel like it?" Rome mumbled, scratching the back of his head as he tried to get his emotion under control. At that moment, his ringtone interrupted their conversation, and realizing that it was Braden calling, Rome took a deep breath and answered the call. "Sir, I''m sure you have a good reason for not going to Archend yesterday, but things have escted, and angry clients are calling the office constantly. Also, you have a few partners waiting for you here." Braden hastily said from the other side of the call. "Book me a new flight for today at a suitable time," Rome said, feeling a sense of frustration rising in him. "Yes, sir." "Also, tell the others that I will be at thepany soon to hear their grievances." "Okay, boss." After ending the call, Rome tightened his grip around his phone while striving to control his anger. But then he lost it for a second and threw his phone against the wall, squeezing his fist tightly as he pressed his lips in a firm line. "Rome," Mr. Ford calmly called out. "Our business is going to bleed because of this!" Rome mumbled, pacing back and forth. "Stop walking around. You are making me dizzy." "Just a few weeks in charge, and I''m already messing up. I don''t think I can do this! Keep my wife safe, run the businesses, make sure the Barlow doesn''t have ess to DreamTeam¡­" Without saying a word, Mr. Ford watched him pacing back and forth as he mumbled out hisints. Then when Rome finally stopped and sluggishly sat down on the couch, Mr. Ford met his eyes and asked, "Feeling better?" "I don''t know. Maybe," Rome mumbled, covering his face with his palms. It got quiet for a moment, and then Mr. Ford sighed and said, "twenty years ago, after losing both you and your mother, I felt lost and confused too. The more I focused on the issues, I hated myself each day and felt frustrated with life and everyone around me." Withdrawing his hands from over his face, Rome looked at Mr. Ford, and when their eyes locked, Mr. Ford gave a quick smile and said, "But you safe me from all that mess¡­ Well, it was the thought of you that did it." Feeling confused by his father''s word, Rome raised a brow. In that instant, Mr. Ford understood his expression and said, "What I''m saying, son, is that you need to stop focusing on the issues and find a reason to hope." "A reason to hope?" Rome mumbled beneath his breath. "Yeah. Mine was hoping that I would find you someday. And that''s what kept me pushing against all odds." "I understand now." "That''s good. You can break down, but give yourself a reason not to stay down, and hold onto it without giving up until you see ite through." The corners of Rome''s lips slightly raised as he looked at Mr. Ford. Then he stood to from the couch and mumbled, "Thanks, dad. That was some great advice." A few seconds when by quietly as Mr. Ford gave Rome a brief smile, and afterward, Rome swayed his gaze onto his broken phone and mumbled, "I should head back to the office and buy a new phone on the way there." "I wille with you." Mr. Ford said, waking from the couch. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. A couple of hourster, Rome and Mr. Ford arrived in his office, and only a couple of seconds went by before Braden entered after them. Then he waited for them to take a seat before saying, "Boss, I have already purchased your ticket, and your flight leaves at six. Also, Mr. Aaberg and a few others are awaiting you in the conference room." "Inform them that I will be there in a couple of minutes," Rome said, resting his new phone on the table. After nodding slightly, Braden turned and left the room. ''I should let Catherine know that I wouldn''t be going home tonight.'' Rome thought, staring down at his phone. Then he picked it up, found her number in his contact, and dialed it. The moment Catherine heard her ringtone, she took her gaze off herputer screen and picked up her phone. "Hey, hon. How''re things going?" Catherine asked, resting back in her seat. ''Terrible. I''m about to walk in a room full of arrogant people, and since my anger is off the roof, I might just flip out on all of them if anyone says something stupid. But I don''t want to stress you with that. So¡­'' Rome thought, frowning slightly. Then he hesitated for a second before saying, "Everything is okay. Mmm¡­ I won''t being home tonight because I have a flight at six for Archend. Scar is going to pick you up from work, okay?" Feeling a dull throb in her chest, Catherine sadly smiled and mumbled, "Okay." The line became silent for a moment, but she didn''t hang up and waited. Then she finally heard Rome say, "You are my reason to hope." Feeling confused by those words, Catherine paused for a moment and then mumbled, "What?" "Nothing. Please follow my order this time and stay away from trouble until I get back." Rome said, narrowing his eyes as he watched Mr. Ford giggle faintly. "Okay," "Good, I got to go. I''ll call youter." The moment Catherine ended the call with Rome, her office door opened, and she focused on her secretary as she walked into the room. Then she stopped a few distances away from the desk and said, "Boss, your cousin is here." "Which one?" Catherine asked in frustration. Then a frown surfaced on her face when her secretary replied, "It''s Miss Chloe." ''What does she want now!'' Catherine thought in annoyance. Chapter Fourty Chapter Fourty The instant Catherine saw Chloe walking into her office, she looked her dead in the eyes and raised her chin as her expression grew cold. "Dear cousin, if a stranger was in this room with us, they might mistake us to be enemies because of the way you are looking at me right now," Chloe said, taking a seat on the chair with a soft smile on her lips. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "Why are you here?" Catherine coldly asked without losing her icy expression. "So you are just going to make me go straight to the point?" "Yes. Now, what''s your reason for being here?" Even though she tried to keep up the act, there was tension in Chloe''s grin, and slowly her smile began to fade until her face became darker. "Well, after finding out that your husband almost killed Earl and beat him into aa, I felt the need to stop by and check up on you to see how you are doing." Chloe said, striving to continue ying the caring cousin card. "Thank you for your concern, but you are not someone I feelfortable discussing my feelings or talking about my husband with. So I will like you to kindly take your leave if that''s all you came here for." Catherine casually uttered with a deadpan expression. "Cousin, I jus¡­" "Chloe, I''m a very busy woman, and gossiping with you about my life isn''t something I have the tiniest bit of interest in or time to do!" Staring directly at her cousin, Catherine kept her eyes cold, and her brows pulled together in a frown as her chest raised. ''What''s with this new dominant presence she has? In the past, she didn''t have the guts to dare look me in my eyes, but now, I feel like I''m the one in the submissive position.'' Chloe thought in annoyance. "Can you leave, like now?!" Catherine asked, losing her patience slowly. Those words snapped Chloe out of her thoughts, and she raised hershes, gazed at Catherine, and said, "Let''s have dinner after you are done with work." "Chloe, I''m serious about being busy, and I don''t have the time for whatever you are up to this time." Catherine firmly uttered. "And I''m genuine about having dinner with you. As a family, we shouldn''t be holding grudges against each other for too long." "No!! I don''t want to y in your little games!" "Except you are willing to call security on me and make them drag me out of here, I am not leaving and will wait until you get off work so we can eat dinner together." Frowning, Catherine rxed back against her seat, crossed her arms, and firmly intoned, "Do you really think that I''m not capable of doing that to you!" The conference room grew silent the instant its door opened, and Rome walked in with his secretary. No one spoke as they all watched him walk to the head of the table and take his seat, and even after that, nobody uttered a word. "I got informed that I was meeting people who have grievances to share with me, so why does this room feel like a graveyard?" Rome calmly uttered, staring intensely at those around the oval table. The conference room continued to be quiet for a while, and Rome was slowly losing the patience he was working so hard to keep. "Thest time we met, you turned down mypliment and said that it will make more sense and be meaningful after you have proven yourself worthy. Also, that I should save the praises for when such a dayes," rence finally said, holding back the rest of his statement. For a moment, he watched Rome slowly tap his fingertips on the desk with his eyes fixed solely on him. Then rence slightly clenched his fist before saying, "Permission to speak freely without any consequences." "No," Rome firmly said. "What!" "You should know that''s a stupid request to make. It''s like saying ''No offense,'' and then you proceed to say something offensive. I refuse to give up the right to set a person straight if I get disrespected by them. So you either speak or shut up." For a moment, rence didn''t uttered a word as he red at Rome, wondering if he should remain silent or speak his mind. However, his ego and anger got the best of him, and he knew he couldn''t stay silent. "I have always listened to and respected your father no matter what he said. But if you want me to do the same for you willingly, then please show us what you can do other than to create problems for all of us!" rence boldly stated. Frowning with a hint of worry in his eyes, Mr. Aaberg softly intoned, "rence, don''t be rude!" "What! Did I say something wrong! His father had run thesepanies for years with ease and without having no bad rumors to affect his partners'' businesses. But now that he''s in charge, all these rumors areing out, one after the other, and it''s troubling for all of us connected to him!" "Well," The room fell silent for a moment as everyone waited for Rome to say something. But when he continued to stay quiet, rence threw Barney a cold stare, and he felt pressured by that and mumbled, "I also agreed." Resting his troubled eyes on Rome, Mr. Aaberg frowned slightly. Then he uttered, "We would like to hear your opinion on this matter because we all are worried here." ''Even though you are ying the innocent card here, one look at your face, and I can tell who''s behind this meeting. You don''t have the face of an innocent man, Aaberg.'' Rome thought, smirking faintly. Then he stopped tapping the desk and casually said, "Okay, I have heard your grievances, and I also have made up my mind on the matter you have brought forward." Swaying his focus off Aaberg and to his secretary, Rome''s face hardened as he said, "Get me each contract for everyone seated at the table." "Wait! What are you doing?" Arthur hastily said as fear glowed in his eyes. With a deadpan look on his face, Rome stared at Arthur and calmly intoned, "I''m going to shred them and cancel the contract I have with you guys. You all don''t need to worry. you guys will have your "What! Don''t you think you are acting way too cocky at such a troubling time!" renceshed out before getting a grip on his tongue. "I think you guys are the one acting overconfident here!!" "Even if you are powerful, you losing partners at such a crucial time will affect you deeply. So I think you are the one throwing your weight around." "True, losing you guys would affect me a bit. But you all losing my support will totally cripple your business and crumble it to the dust." It instantly fell silent as Rome watched a humble look settle on rence''s face. Then he sat up straight and said, "It must be enjoyable working alongside someone powerful, right? But what you guys forgot to remember is that cutting ties with such a person puts you in a position where it''s you against them." Understanding exactly what Rome''s words meant, Aaberg slightly cleared his throat and lowered his gaze. "Now, tell me, who do you think would want to work with yourpanies after losing a partner like me!" Rome firmly asked, looking at their nervous faces. Then he sighed, stood to his feet, and said in dominance, "what''s happening is just a small setback. But it definitely doesn''t mean that I have stopped being Rome Ford. So raise your hand now if you want me to shred your contract right this instant!" A pin drop could make a noise in the room after his remark because no one made a sound or movement. "If anyone of you thinks you can belittle me and push me against the wall, I advise you to think twice for your sake, not mine!" Rome boldly uttered, staring at Aaberg. In that instant, he unintentionally stared up at Rome. Then when their gaze met, he hastily looked down and thought, ''I thought such a troubling time would be the perfect chance to make him have a taste of the humiliation I felt in his office that day. Who knew he was this difficult to put down.'' Smiling faintly, Braden looked at his boss with a touch of pride in his eyes. Then the buzzing sound of his phone suddenly drew his attention away from Rome, and he hastily answered the call. After talking on the phone for quite a while, Braden ended the call, focused back on Rome, and mumbled, "Sir," "What is it?" Rome asked, looking his way. After taking a step closer to Rome, Braden leaned towards his ear and whispered, "Well, Chairman Herman is here, and he wants to speak with you. I was informed that he looks really pissed." ''Great. Things just got more frustrating.'' Rome thought. Chapter Fourty-One Chapter Fourty-One Sitting in the silence with a ss of whiskey in his hand, Mr. Ford frowned each time he wondered about what was happening in the conference room. But then again, he knew he couldn''t go there because he wanted to give Rome the chance to stand on his own two feet. After taking the third sip of his drink, the office door suddenly flew open, and Chairman Herman walked in with twelve men behind him. When his gaze rested on Mr. Ford, the anger in his eyes died down for a second and he stopped in his tracks. "Herman, don''t you think you should know better with your current age!" Mr. Ford calmly uttered, and yet, his expression was cold. "I have no fuss with you, Ford. It''s your son that I''m here to see!" Herman stated, feeling his anger awakening again. "You have a fuss with my boy?" All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "We both know the answer to that question, Ford. So let''s not beat around the bush here!" "You are the one waffling, Herman, because you should know that if you have an issue with my son, you have a problem with me. So why exclude me from the equation!" Holding back his tongue, Herman''s eyebrows scrunched together and his lips tightened as he red at Mr. Ford. Then he shoved his hands into his pocket and said, "You know what your son did to my boy, right?" "Judging from what Earl have done to others children, I think aa is a merciful punishment for him, don''t you agree?" Mr. Ford casually said before taking a sip of his drink. It got quiet as Chairman Herman gave him a hostile re. Then he frowned and said, "What my son did or didn''t do to others has nothing to do with your son, and even if Earl have hurt others, I''m damn sure that it''s not your son''s ce to teach him a lesson!" As Mr. Ford''s face contorted with rage, he banged the bottom of his ss against the desk and stood to his feet, fixing his icy gaze on Chairman Herman. "You have some nerve walking into my son''s office with your cockroaches and arrogantly stand before me to spit out rubbish." Mr. Ford firmly uttered. Then a bitter, faintugh escape his lip as his anger spiked and his heartbeat increase, and he harshly said, "Your sonid a hand on my daughter-inw! Something my son has never done to his wife, and you think Rome did not have the right to beat the crap out of him!" When Chairman Herman didn''t respond, Mr. Ford coldly smirked and uttered, "You know that Rome have shown your son way more mercy than I would have, right?" With a touch of fear in his eyes, Herman nervouslyughed and said, "Come on, Ford. We are old and shouldn''t be meddling in children''s y." Frowning at the men standing behind Chairman Herman, Mr. Ford narrowed his eyes and said, "Judging from your cockroaches, I think those words are meant for you and not me." Keeping his fists clenched by his sides, Chairman Herman rolled his shoulders back, ring at Mr. Ford, and said, "Can you tell Rome to drop the charges against my son, so that I can get him better medical help?!" "No! He did the crime, and now he has to stay and do the time. Mercy hospital is an incredible facility, and all the help Earl needs is there." Mr. Ford straightforwardly stated. Then when Chairman Herman scowled at him, his eyes hardened as he said, "Rome has been way too generous with Earl, and I will advise you to keep it that way. As you said, we are old. Us meddling in children''s y will make the matter way too serious." Annoyed by those words, Herman scowled and said, "Ford, you need to understand that even a tortoise is willing to run a race with a hare if it gets humiliated! Your son put Earl in aa an¡­" "Point of correction, he beat up Earl. Your son going into aa was someone else fault." Mr. Ford stated. "What!" "Apparently, your son shook hands with the wrong person, and he got burned for it! I will advise you to focus on finding who that person is instead of trying to harass my son." Watching the look of concern settled on Chairman Herman''s face, Mr. Ford remained quiet as he thought, ''With you unintentionally helping us find out who this person is, we have a strong chance of seeding at revealing their identity.'' Without uttering another word, Chairman Herman red at Mr. Ford for a while. Then he turned to leave, and in that instant, Rome walked into the room. Then he stopped when Chairman Herman glowered at him before leaving the office with his men. "What did you say to him?" Rome asked, nkly staring at Mr. Ford as he picked up his ss of wine and took a sip of it. "We simply had a chat." Mr. Ford slyly said. Then he rested his ss on the desk and asked, "How was your meeting?" "I handle it, and now, all I have to do is go to Archend to take care of things there too," Rome mumbled, feeling a bit relieved that he didn''t have to talk with Chairman Herman. At five on the dot, Catherine''s phone suddenly disturb the silence in her office, and she picked it up, answering the call immediately. "I''m leaving the office now and heading to the airport." Rome''s voice echoed into her ear. "Okay, be safe," Catherine said, feeling a bit sad. "When are you leaving work?" "Six," "Okay, Scar and the others will be there to pick you up." Frowning slightly, Catherine dropped her pen on the desk and hastily asked, "What do you mean by, Scar and the other? How many men did you assign to me?" "Bye. Love you." Rome said from the other side of the call before it ended. Speechless from shock, Catherine stared at her phone screen and mumbled, "Seriously," Then she raised her eyes and stared at Chloe, gazing curiously at her. After staring at Chloe for a couple of seconds, Catherine rested her phone back on the desk and focus on the document in front of her. "So, are we going to dinner or what?" Chloe impatiently asked, feeling annoyed that Catherine had not given in to her demand yet and had been ignoring her for hours. "Dinner is not happening," Catherine mumbled with a frown. "Then you better get the security to drag me out of here because I''m serious about not leaving." "Suit yourself," The was a brief pause. Then rage awoke in Chloe, and sheshed out, "Can you stop ignoring me!" Sighing heavily, Catherine dropped her pen, looked up at her, and calmly said, "What are you hoping for here, cousin. Do you want me to call securities on you to drag you out of my office so that the next news would be about how arrogant I am, so my reputation can get stain!" When Chloe broke eye contact with her, Catherine frowned and said, "Or do you want me to follow you to this restaurant with the hope that you can get me to do or say something embarrassing and humiliating that could paint me ugly in the public eyes." After a couple of seconds passed without getting a response from Chloe, Catherine let out a soft breath and said, "I will be an idiot if I am not aware of the kind of person you are, cousin. So when you feel ready, you can leave my office." ''You know me so well, cousin. But I''m not going to give you the satisfaction of thinking you are right.'' Chloe thought, looking at Catherine. Then she faked a sad expression and said, "You are wrong. I simply want us to eat together as cousins, and I wouldn''t leave until we do.'' Narrowing her eyes, Catherine slightly shook her head and focused back on her paper, stunned by how shameless her cousin could get. When six o''clock arrived, Catherine was already ready to leave the office when a knock on the door got her attention. "Come in," Catherine called out as she wore her coat. A couple of seconds quietly went by before the door opened, and Scar walked in, frowning as his gaze rested on Chloe. Then he looked at Catherine and said, "I''m here to escort you home, Miss." Without uttering a word, Catherine grabbed her bag and approached Scar, walking past Chloe as though she was invisible. After she and Scar left the room, reality finally hit Chloe, and she stood to her feet and rushed out of the office. Then she immediately froze when she saw more than twenty men escorting Catherine down the hallway, and all she felt in that moment was raw envy. Frowning, she pulled out her phone and texted, "I can not wait any longer. When are you going to give me your next order!" A few minutes passed, and Chloe impatiently waited. Then her phone buzzed, and a text appeared on her screen, "Now," Chapter Fourty-Two Chapter Fourty-Two With a look of hesitation on Brook''s face, he stood silently at the door for a couple of minutes, and then after waiting a few more seconds, he stared at the time on his watch and then knocked. "It is open. Come in," Rome''s said with his focus on his phone. The door immediately opened, and Brook walked into the suite, shutting it gently behind him. Then he approached Rome with a folder in his hand, and when he reached him, he rested the folder on the table. After ncing at the folder for a moment, Rome stared back at his phone and mumbled, "What''s in it? "As you wanted, I investigated all the employees of ''Customers and Board Protection authorities of Archend,'' and there''s one person who has connections with Earl," Brook said. "What is their name?" Rome asked, still staring at his phone. "Toby. Apparently, he and Earl''s personal assistant had a brief meeting recently. These are photos from CCTV cameras showing them at a cafe." "What was the agenda of the meeting?" "That information, I don''t know, boss." "It''s fine. Whatever it was, we will find out today. Hopefully, it won''t lead to another mess." Keeping silent, Brook stared at Rome for a brief while. Then unable to hold in his curiosity, he asked, "Are you waiting for an important call, boss?" "No. I''m waiting to make a call, but Catherine is in a different time zone, so it''s still early on her end. I will have to wait a little bit before calling her." Rome said, taking onest look at the time. Then he dropped his phone on the nket and mumbled, "I should hit the shower and get ready for us to leave for the port." When the light of dawn hit Catherine''s face, she refused to raise hershes, knowing that Rome wouldn''t be beside her like she wished. But her rm didn''t care about her feelings, and it started buzzing until she got frustrated with the noise and opened her eyes, frowning deeply. Then she shoved the bedsheets off her, got out of bed, and dragged her feet one after the other as she headed to the bathroom. When Catherine was only a few feet away from the bathroom door, her ringtone got her attention, and immediately she stopped in her tracks. Guessing who it was, Catherine hurriedly turned around, rushed for the nightstand, and picked up her phone. Then she took a moment to calm her racing heartbeat and answered the call, smiling widely as Rome''s face showed up on her phone. "Morning, hon." Catherine cheerfully intoned, unable to hide her excitement. "Someone looked very lively this morning," Rome said while staring at her passionately. Lowering her gaze, Catherine hesitated for a second and then mumbled, "It''s because I miss you like crazy that''s why I''m this excited because you call." "I miss you too. But the good news is, I''m on my way to the port. Once I''m done there, and things are settled, I will be on the next flight back to you." Rome said.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. As Catherine was about to reply, an iing call disrupted her and Rome''s video chat. Seeing that it was Dash calling, Catherine grew slightly annoyed as she watched his number blink on her screen. Then without giving it a second thought, Catherine canceled his call, and then she focused back on Rome when he asked, "Is everything okay?" "Yeah. Dash was calling me." Catherine calmly uttered, unable to stop thinking about why he was calling her because he had never done that before. For a moment, Rome said nothing since he too was baffled by the fact that Dash called her, but he brushed it off and said, "Okay, babe. I got a few calls to make, so let me call you backter." "Alright, see youter," Catherine said with a coy smile on her lips. After Rome ended the call, she gazed at the phone screen and realized Dash had sent her a text. "Did Chloe sleepover at your ce?" Catherine read out loud, ring at her phone. Then she mumbled as she typed in her inbox, "Why would your wife be at my ce? We are not that close!" "Because Chloe didn''t return homest night after iming that she was at your office." "Well, she was. But we went our separate ways afterward." "Okay. Do you have any idea of where your cousin might have gone to or something?" "You asked the right question, but to the wrong person." After sending her message, Catherine waited for a couple of seconds, and when Dash didn''t reply, she tossed her phone on the bed. "Could Chloe really be missing?" Catherine mumbled with a hint of worry in her eyes. Then she faintly chuckled even though she was still worried and said, "It can''t be." Lost in his thoughts, Rome didn''t hear Mr. Ondo the first time he said, "Boss, we have arrived at the port." But when he said it for the fourth time, Rome snapped out of his head and realized that K had opened the back door and was waiting on him to get out. "We are here, boss." Mr. Ondo humbly uttered, gazing into the v-mirror. Without saying a word, Rome got down from the car and then stared at ze, K, and Brook before mumbling, "Let''s get this over with." Then he faced ahead of him and saw four men approaching him from the opposite direction. When they reached Rome, a tall and slender fellow extended his right hand towards him and said, "Hello, Mr. Ford. We are members of the Customers and Board Protection authorities. We want to wee you to Archend. Also, we are sorry for troubling you toe all this way." "It''s fine, and I''m d toply with you guys since I have nothing to hide." Rome calmly uttered. A slightly-built guy from in the group gave Rome a cocky smirk and said, "Well, we will be there one to determine that after doing our search. After all, you rich folks can never stay clean of shady business." Immediately, the other men stared at him, but the look of arrogance on his face didn''t fade. "What''s that supposed to mean?!" Kshed out in annoyance. Keeping a calm expression, Rome swayed his gaze to the left, loured at K, and said, "Stand down!" Then he looked back with calmness in his eyes, gazed at the guy''s name tag, and coldly uttered, "I''m sure that if you guys search my cargoes, you will not find anything illegal. How about you, Toby?" "What do you mean?" Toby asked, feeling a bit sweaty and the hair on his neck stood when he and Rome''s eyes met. "If I was to investigate you now, can you also say without a doubt that you are not involved in dirty deeds? Do you think I will find something that will make you lose your job or get you a worse punishment than that if I did?!" "Well¡­ Umm.." Seeing how pale Toby''s face had be, Rome made a stead eye contact with him and coldly said, "Cat got your tongue, or you do have something to hide?!" A sudden sense of fear ceased Toby''s heart. Then he felt paralyzed as he thought, ''Although Mr. Earl paid me to imnt some illegal substance inside one of the containers, I don''t have to do it, right? I mean, he''s in aa. Should I be messing with the man who put him there?'' Even though Toby felt afraid when he thought of not doing the job after eating Earl''s money, he took a long look at Rome and thought, ''I''m not about to mess with this guy. Earl and I can settle things when he wakes up.'' Then he lowered his gaze to the ground and said, "I wanted to say that I''m sorry for being quick to judge you, Mr. Ford." Ignoring his apology, Rome looked at the slender fellow and said, "Wellbury, can we start? I''m a very busy person." "Right! Please follow me. The rest of the team are awaiting at the containers." Mr. Wellbury hastily said. Then he glowered at Toby before walking off with Rome and the others following closely behind him. The search when on for hours, and with each passing second, all Rome could do was wait even though he was slowly getting impatient and a bit worried. By the afternoon hours, Mr. Wellbury approached Rome. Then he looked at him for a couple of minutes, blew out his cheeks, and softly said, "You were right, Mr. Ford. Your cargoes are clean. We found nothing illegal in them. Our agency sincerely apologize." Swaying his gaze off Mr. Wellbury, Rome stared at Toby. The instant their gaze settled on each other and Rome gave him a smug smile, Toby lowered his head, feeling relieved that he didn''t go through with his n. "I''m just d that everything when smoothly, and there weren''t any issues with my goods." Rome calmly uttered, looking back at Mr. Wellbury. "So, can my employees have ess to my shipments now?" "Yes. Of course, Mr. Ford. We are truly sorry again for the misunderstanding." "Since that''s the case, my men and I will take our leave." A whileter, Rome was seated in the backseat of his car when he suddenly got a call from an unknown number. At first, he was hesitant to answer. But after he got a fourth call from the same number, he felt a bit annoyed and concerned, so he answered. "Is this Rome Ford," A fellow voice echoed into his ear. "It depends. Who am I speaking with?" Rome firmly said. The line went silent for a moment, and then he heard, "I know you, and yet you don''t know me. But I want that to change today." Chapter Fourty-Three Chapter Fourty-Three The first thought that crossed Rome''s mind was that if he was speaking with the puppets'' master. But he kept silent about his curiosity and asked, "Is there a reason you want us to know each other?" "Yes." The fellow said from the other side of the call. "Is it possible for us to meet and talk, let say this evening, by eight o''clock?" Although there were so many questions roaming in Rome''s head that he desperately wanted an answer to, he remained calm and said, "Sure. You know where I stay, right?" The line suddenly became quiet for a moment, and Rome grew impatient by every second that went by in silence. Then he finally heard, "Yes. You stay at ''Hotel za.'' Is that where you want us to meet?" "Yes. At the hotel restaurant." Rome said, striving to stop himself from asking the one question that he so desperately one to ask. "Okay. I will meet you there then. Tonight at eight o''clock." "I will be waiting." There was a brief pause as Rome second-guessed his thoughts. Then he said, "What''s your nam...?" The call suddenly ended, and he slowly drew the phone away from his ear while trying to get his emotions under control. "Take me back to the hotel," Rome calmly uttered. "But boss, your flight leaves in less than an hour." Mr. Ondo mumbled, ncing in the v-mirror for a second before focusing on the road. "I''m not leaving with that flight. I still have some unfinished business here." "Okay, boss." As the sky began to slowly lose its brightness and the sun started to go down, Catherine looked out the car window and thought with a smile on her lips, ''It''s four o''clock. Rome should be on the ne by now.'' The excitement she felt only seemed to grow by the second, and she couldn''t stop herself from admiring the beauty of the clouds as her smile widened. Then her phone buzzed, and she looked away from the window and stared at its screen. "I''m sorry, babe. But something came up, and I have to stay here a bit longer. After taking care of it, I will be back tomorrow." Catherine read with a dull look in her eyes. Then she drew a deep breath and swayed her gaze back on the window, staring at the sky with a nk expression on her face. A couple of minutes went by. Then Catherine''s phone rang, and when she gazed at it and saw that it was Madam Rosey calling, she felt even more frustrated. For a couple of minutes, she silently watched the phone ring until it stopped. But after two seconds passed, the word ''grandmother,'' was blinking on her screen again. Finally, Catherine got sick of the sound of her ringtone and answered the call. Then she got a grip on her emotion and calmly intoned, "Good evening, grandmother." "Since Rome isn''t here, how about youe to the house and have dinner with the family?" Madam Rosey said from the other side of the line. "I can''t becau¡­" "Do you want your grandmother to beg you?" Even though thest thing she wanted was to be with her family when she wasn''t in a good mood, Catherine knew Madam Rosey wasn''t going to take ''no,'' for an answer. So she softly sighed and said, Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "I''m on my way." "Good. See youter." Madam Rosey''s voice echoed into her ear before the call ended. At five o''clock, Catherine walked into the living room of the Barlow mansion. Then when she saw that the entire family was there except Chloe, she immediately knew what was going on. Frowning at her grandmother, Catherine took a deep breath and said, "You didn''t call me here because you want me to have dinner with the family, right?" "My daughter is missing! What did you do to her?" Elijah suddenlyshed out. "Can you calm down! We don''t know if Catherine had anything to do with Chloe going missing!"Mr. Barlow shouted at his son. Like the others, he too thought that Catherine had involvement in Chloe going missing. But he didn''t want to offend Catherine because he knew that meant enraging Rome. "Dash, you called me this morning, and I have already told you that your wife and I went our separate ways yesterday, so what is all this!!!" Catherine firmly uttered in annoyance. Scowling at him, Edward locked eyes with Dash and coldly uttered, "Why would youe here and say Chloe went missing and Catherine was thest person that saw her when you have rified things with my daughter!" "Well, what I said is the truth. Thest time I called my wife, she texted me and said she was hanging out with Catherine in her office and they would be having dinner togetherter on." Dash calmly said, gazing away from Edward''s cold eyes. "Well, I turned down your wife''s offer to have dinner with me and went home! What she did or didn''t do afterward, I have no idea because it''s none of my business." Catherine angrily uttered, feeling vex within herself. Giving his niece a dirty look, Elijah narrowed his eyes and said, "You could be lying! Only you and Chloe know what happened between you and her yesterday! Since she''s not here, you are taking advantage of her absence to lie and cover your dirty deeds! You little lying bitc¡­" "I will advice you not to be stupid enough to end that statement!" Edward shouted, clutching his fist. Annoyed by his brother''s tone, William frowned. Then he angrily said, "Just because your son-inw has put you in a high position, you have forgotten your ce in this family. Who do you think you are?!" "I''m her father! Also, if you all think you will falsely use my child while I sit here and watch in silence, then you all are blinded by your stupidity!" Edward harshly said as he coldly stared at his brothers. Unable to hold in her emotion, Catherine felt tears welling in her eyes as she softly smiled, staring in adoration at her father. Keeping silent, Anthony gazed at his mother, then at his father. But when both of them didn''t utter a word, he slightly shook his head in disappointment. Then he looked at Edward and said, "No one is using your daughter. We all know that the have tension between Chloe and Catherine these few days. Now that they met yesterday, and Chloe suddenly disappeared, and her number is off, it''s enough to raise suspicions and questions!" Deciding that she had had enough of her family nonsense, Catherine red at them and said, "What do all of you think I did to Chloe!?" The living room fell silent, and nobody had anything to say for almost five minutes. Then Catherine drew a breath and loudly said, "I don''t have the time or energy for this!" Afterward, she turned to leave. But she stopped in her tracks when William suddenly said, "We can not tell you what you did to Chloe because only you know what you did since none of us was there!" "Your uncle is right!" Elijah said, striving not to lose hold of his anger. "How about you tell us everything that happened between you and Chloe, and we can decide if you are being honest or not." "No, I will not do that!" Catherine firmly uttered without thinking for a second. "What!!" "You guys are paranoid, and it would be foolish of me to stand here and waste my precious time exining myself to you." For a moment, Catherine remained standing still, trying to put herself together and suppress her urge to cry. Then she clutched onto her purse and walked away. "Are you not going to stay for dinner, dear?" Madam Rosey gently called out. "I just lost my appetite," Catherine said without stopping. The sound of his rm made Rome jump from his sleep and sit up in bed. "It''s seven-fifty already?" Rome mumbled, frowning at his phone before dismissing the rm. After giving himself a couple of seconds to fully awake, he got out the bed, took a couple of minutes to get dressed in casual clothes, and then he left the suite. When he arrived in the hallway, K quietly followed after him. Then the both of them met Brook a few distances down the corridor, and he silently walked after Rome and K. A couple of minutester, they arrived in the hotel restaurant, and Rome approached an empty table and sat down. "Boss, who are we waiting for?" K humbly asked after a few minutes had passed, and he saw that Rome was getting a bit restless. "I don''t know," Rome mumbled with a frown. "But I think he could be the puppets'' master." Staring wide-eyed at their boss, K and Brook felt speechless and full of questions, but they maintained their silence and became more alert. The time drifted by naturally, and when eleven o''clock arrived, Rome had run out of patience. After waiting for five more seconds, he suddenly stood to his feet with rage burning in his eyes. "Since ze is standing watch outside, you two remained here and wait for him. If he is truly the puppets'' master, he would know that you two are my men." Rome coldly uttered. "I''m heading back to my suite." Without waiting for a reply from his men, Rome pushed his chair back, walked away, and headed for the elevator. Then a whileter, he arrived at his suite door, and after unlocking it, he entered and mmed the door shut behind him. "Did something make my dear cousin-inw angry?" Rome heard a voice he knew very well said. Immediately, he switched on the lights and his face deepened into a scowled. "Chloe, what the hell are you doing here?" Rome coldly uttered, hastily looking away from her. "And most importantly, where''s your damn clothes!" Chapter Fourty-Four Chapter Fourty-Four Biting on her bottom lip, Chloe took a long look at Rome, and then she smirked and said, "There''s no need to be shy. It''s just the two of us here." When Rome didn''t speak or look her way, Chloe got annoyed, but she suppressed her feelings as a lopsided grin surfaced on her lips, and softly intoned, "I want you, Rome!" There were so many thoughts running through Rome''s head, and even though a lot of things didn''t make sense, he knew one thing for sure that he needed to get out of there. "Can you at least look at me when I am talking to you?" Chloe softly cried, sniffing gently. "Hell no!" Rome mumbled, furrowing his brows. Then without thinking for a second, he turned around and started heading for the door. As he was about to reach the handle, he felt a tender hand grab his wrist and hold onto it tightly. "I know that in the past, I picked on you a lot and said all kinds of mean stuff to you, but I did it because I liked you. I''m in love with you, and my body wants you, Rome." Chloe seductively whispered, slowly tracing her index finger down his arm. For a moment, Rome squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his lips in a firm line as he tried to get his anger under control. Then he raised hisshes, and there was nothing but coldness in his eyes as he forcefully yanked his hand out of her grip. "Ouch," Chloe softly cried. "Touch me again, and I swear I willy my hands on you, and not in a romantic way that you want!" Rome coldly uttered, grabbing onto the knob. Feeling a bit afraid, Chloe stood by and watched him open the door. Then she shouted in frustration, "What does my cousin have that I don''t have!!" "Dignity!" Rome said before mming the door shut behind him. When he was further in the hallway, he pulled out his phone from his sweatpants pocket and scrolled through his contact, stopping at Catherine''s number. Then he dialed it, and after it rang for a while, the call ended, and Rome slightly frowned as he tried it again. Devastated that she got rejected, Chloe grabbed her hair and screamed as tears ran down her face. Then she hastily walked over to her clothes, picked her trouser off the floor, and took her phone out of its pocket. With trembling hands, she texted, "You said that it was going to work, that he''s a man, and wouldn''t refuse a naked woman even if he was loyal to his wife! Well, newssh, Rome did, and nothing happened!" A few seconds after she sent the text, a message popped up on her screen, "Oh, but something did happen." "Stop talking nonsense and get to the point!!" Chloe message back. "Where''s Rome now?" "He just left the room!" For a couple of seconds, Chloe eagerly waited for a response. Then a message finally popped up on her screen, "Go into the bathroom, grab his robe, wear it, mess up your hair, and follow him out. Then demand him to take responsibility for what he did to you." Frowning, Chloe gave it a second thought and messaged back, "How would falsely using Rome get him to fall in love with me!!" "It wouldn''t. But it will ruin Rome''s rtionship with your cousin. I mean, if you can''t have Rome, why should she?" "But I want to have him!!" "Let''s get real here, Chloe. If a man refuses you after you naked yourself in front of him, do you think there''s any chance of him falling for you!" Anger spiked in Chloe''s eyes as reality settled in. Then she intensely gazed at her phone screen before texting, "Were you just manipting me for your benefit!!" A couple of seconds when by quietly. Then Chloe''s phone buzzed, and she stared at the message on the screen, "I would never. I''m just being honest with you, Chloe. Catherine doesn''t deserve to be happy with Rome when it''s because of her you can''t have a chance with him." "You know what, you are right! If Rome can''t be mine, then I''m going to make sure that he wouldn''t be hers too. It''s only fair that we both lose him." Chloe texted as a smirk crept on her lips. After trying Catherine''s number for the sixth time, Rome was less annoyed and more concerned that she didn''t answer her phone. Finally, the elevator door opened, and he walked into the lobby, heading for the hotel restaurant. When he reached the table that K and Brook were seated at, they both immediately stood to their feet. "Boss, he hasn''t arrived yet," Brook said, concerned by the look of stress on Rome''s face. "He''s noting. Tonight was a trap." Rome calmly uttered. "What?" K asked in confusion. There was a brief pause. Then Rome drew a deep breath and said, "Chloe is in my suite." "What!!" Brook said out loud before getting a grip on his tongue. "Yeah. Umm, I need you and ze to stay here and find out how she ess my room. When I get back home, I will have Scar trace the number. Hopefully, it will lead back to something." "Yes, boss." Swaying his gaze towards K, Rome drew a deep breath and said, "Let''s go. We have a flight to catch." "You are leaving tonight?" K asked in confusion. Frustrated, Rome turned away from his men, shoved his hands into his pocket, and said, "Yeah. Catherine isn''t answering her calls." Then he walked away with K following closely behind him. When the both of them reached the hotel lobby, Rome froze as he locked eyes with Chloe. Frowning with his eyes centered solely on her, K absentmindedly mumbled, "Boss, Chl¡­" "I see her. Let''s just get out of here first. I will handle herter." Rome said, walking off.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Seeing that he was leaving, Chloe tightened her fist, forced her eyes to get watery, and shouted, "Rome Ford!" Even though he heard her, Rome kept walking. But that didn''t stop Chloe from yelling, "You jerk! Is it okay to use a woman and leave without telling her!" Those words immediately got people''s attention, and some of them started taking out their phones. Mumbling raised in the lobby, and K was getting concerned. So he approached Rome and whispered, "Boss, people are recording you guys. Don''t you want to rify things before this bes another news?" "What''s the use. It will be a piece of news even if I intervene. Also, I don''t owe any of these people an exnation because they will just assume whatever they want to believe." Rome mumbled, striving his best to control his anger. Infuriated that Rome was ignoring her, Chloe tightened her fist. Then she shouted, "Just because your father is powerful, you think a woman''s body is just a toy! You are such a yer!" An olderdy frowned as she stared at Rome''s back. Then she shouted, "Young man, how could you be so heartless to such an innocent woman!" Following herments, the were other ridiculing statements thrown at Rome. Finally, he stopped in his tracks, turned around, and red at Chloe. Then he sighed and said, "Since we slept together, you should know my body, right?" Rome calmly uttered without taking his eyes off her. A look of nervousness across Chloe''s face. Then when she realized that people were staring at her, she forced a few more tears to drop from her eyes and mumbled, "Well, yes." "Okay, can you tell these nosy people here who have nothing better to do than to listen to your rubbish about the scars on my body and where I have each of them!" Rome harshly said, losing control of his anger. Mumbling aroused in the lobby, and Chloe began to feel a bit pressured by the intense stares that she was getting, so she cleared her throat and boldly stated, "Well, umm¡­ You had one scar on your back!" Frowning, Rome narrowed his eyes and firmly asked, "Is that all!" "Yes!" Chloe hastily said without thinking because she was bing nervous. Staring at Rome pulling up his shirt, K raised a brow and asked, "Boss, what are you doing?" "Intervening as you asked me to do," Rome said, taking off his shirt. Then he frowned at Chloe and coldly uttered, "I have a stabbed wound on my side, and if I had slept with you, there''s no way you wouldn''t know that." Seeing the look of humiliation on her face, Rome turned his back to her and said, "Also, I got no scars on my back!" A couple of minutes went by silently as Rome wore his shirt. After he got done, he looked at Chloe and loudly said, "How desperate can you be to want your cousin''s husband so badly that you will make up such an absurd lie? Don''t you have the slightest bit of shame since I''m your cousin-inw!" Everyone in the lobby''s eyes was now on Chloe, and then ady loudly uttered, "What a despicable woman! It''s so shameless of her to tell such a barefaced lie!" Within that moment, Chloe desperately wished that the ground would just open and swallow her whole as she listened to the insulting remarks about her. Then she threw Rome a dirty look before running back into the elevator while shielding her face behind her hand. "Now that you all know that I didn''t sleep with her, I hope you guys can delete those videos for the sake of you not getting sue by me!" Rome said with a stiff smile as he red at those in the lobby. Then he turned around and walked away with K following him. When he and Rome arrived outside, he stood closed by Rome and happily mumbled, "Boss, that was Soo... smooth." At that moment, a guy with a face cap and a ck hoodie walked past them, and K intensely stared after him. "What is it?" Rome asked, following his gaze. "Nothing," K mumbled, still having an awful gut feeling. The fellow stopped at a ck Chevrolet Camaro, got into the backseat, and took off his cap. "Master, just like you anticipate, Chloe caused a scene, and I have it all on camera." He said, refusing to take his gaze off the floor. Then he silently smirked when he heard his master coldly say, "Good. Huh, Rome, your reputation is mine to damage, and that''s only the first step!" Chapter Forty-Five Chapter Forty-Five When Rome got home, he was about to head upstairs when he saw Scar approaching him from the opposite direction. With a look of confusion in his eyes, he faintly smiled and mumbled, "Boss, you are home," "Yeah," Rome muttered, looking over Scar''s shoulder. "Did something happen to Catherine?" "No. Miss is upstairs, in your bedroom." "Then why isn''t sh¡­" Holding in the rest of his statement, Rome walked past Scar and hurried upstairs, heading straight for their bedroom. When he got inside, an his gaze rested on Catherine,ying on the bed, he let out a sigh of relief as he gently closed the door. Then he walked over to the bed, sat beside her, and gazed at her face. At first, he didn''t notice it. But after taking a closer look at Catherine''s eyes, he saw that hershes were fluttering. "Are you asleep?" Rome mumbled without taking his eyes off hers. Gently squeezing her eyelids, Catherine pinched onto the sheet as she fought against her urge to raise hershes. "Are you angry with me?" Rome calmly uttered. Silence followed his remark, and as he swayed his gaze away from her, Rome''s sight rested on her phone. For a moment, he hesitated. Then he picked it off the nightstand and gently pressed the power button. "Did you not hear your phone ringing?" Rome mumbled, gazing at his miss calls on her screen. "No. I put my phone on silent when I got home." Catherine whispered with her eyes still closed. But when she didn''t hear Rome''s voice for a couple of minutes, she finally raised hershes and her gaze met with his. "You''ve been crying. What''s the matter? Did something happen?" Rome hastily asked with a look of concern on his face as he stared into her puffy red eyes. "Nothing happened," Catherine mumbled, swaying her gaze to the left. "Why are you back home this early in the morning. I thought you were supposed to be backter today." "Can you not change the topic, please, and tell me what''s going on?" "It''s nothing." Taking a long look at her, Rome paused and then said, "Okay, tell me, and I will be the judge of that." At first, Catherine didn''t utter a word as she gazed at him. Then she realized that he wasn''t going to let the matter go, so she pushed the cover off her, sat up in bed, and pouted. "Chloe is missing." Catherine softly uttered as tears began to settle in her eyes again. Immediately, Rome''s face went nk as he stared at her. Then he took a deep breath and said, "What do you mean by she''s missing?" "Well, Dash texted me this morning to ask about her whereabouts, and even though I told him that I didn''t know where she was, he didn''t believe me, and now, no one else believes me except my father and mother!" Sniffing back her tears, Catherine looked into Rome''s eyes and mumbled beneath her breath, "They all believe that I have something to do with Chloe''s disappearance." Furious, Rome tightened his fist and firmly uttered, "I leave town for a day, and suddenly, they think they can bully you. I guess I wasn''t loud enough the other day! Maybe if I start taking more drastic measu¡­" "Can you help to find Chloe first, and then we can talk about punishing my familyter," Catherine said with sad eyes. "Please!!" "Well," Rome mumbled, clearing his throat. When Catherine raised her brow as she stared intensely at him, Rome drew a deep breath and said, "That''s what I was calling you to tell you." Refusing to blink, Catherine kept her gaze solely on him, and Rome hesitated for a second before saying, "Chloe is not missing." "What?" Catherine mumbled. "Chloe is in Archend." "Archend?" For a moment, Catherine''s face went nk, then her skin grew pale, and with a look of confusion in her eyes, her expression became cold. "How do you know that? Nobody in the family knows where she is." Catherine asked, holding herself back from thinking negatively. "I don''t know how she did it or how it happened, but she suddenly showed up in my suite," Rome said. Not thinking straight, Catherine frowned and mumbled, "Is she the reason you made a change in your flight?" "No. Of course not. Where is your head at?" Rome dumbfoundedly uttered. "I don''t know. You tell me. Because right now, I don''t know what to think or feel!" "If you are wondering if something happened between us, I can tell you now that nothing happened." Keeping silent, Catherine held in her breath as she looked into Rome''s eyes. Then she softly intoned, "Really? Nothing happened?" "Yes," Rome said without any hesitation. For a while, Catherine nkly stared at Rome while striving to make sense of everything and not allow her imagination to run wide. Then she finally suppressed her feeling of doubt and mumbled, "How did she get ess to your suite?" "I don''t know. But Brook and ze are looking into it. " Rome calmly said. It grew quiet between them, and he could tell from Catherine''s face that she had doubts. So he took her hand in his, looked into her eyes, and softly intoned, "Nothing happened. She tried toe on to me, but I immediately left the suite. Okay?" Although Catherine tried to smile, her lips rebelled against her, and she pouted as she lowered her gaze. "Is it selfish to say that I prefer you as Rome Miller than Rome Ford?" Catherine mumbled, drawing a soft breath as she looked up at Rome. "It is, isn''t it?" Then Catherine gave a smile and whispered, "Back then, I didn''t have to worry so much about other women, and now, here I am, super pissed over the fact that my cousin that hated you then is chasing after you now." "I''m all yours, and you know that," Rome said, gently squeezing her hand. Annoyed, Catherine frowned and mumbled, "I know that, and you know that. But thirsty women like Chloe don''t care about that." "Okay. I can wear a paper bag over my head. Umm, put some hole in it for my eyes, nose, and mouth. That could work, right?" Rome said, giving her a faint smile. With a look of disbelief on her face, Catherine took a long look at him. Then she giggled, burying her face in her palm. "Why are youughing. I''m being serious. It could work." Rome said, smiling at her. "My identity will get hidden from all those women, and I can take off the bag only when it''s just the both of us because it''s you that I love and want." Withdrawing her hand away from her face, Catherine solely looked into Rome''s eyes and mumbled, "You are joking," "Am I!" Rome said with a straight face. Immediately, the feeling of doubt that ate at Catherine''s emotions faded, and she was suddenly staring at Rome with a yearning expression on her face. Understanding the hint in her stare, Rome leaned towards Catherine, meeting her lips with his and kissing her slowly.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Then their kiss deepened, and Rome lost himself for a second as Catherine''s soft lips caressed against his, causing him to want more of her. Suddenly, pulling back, Catherine looked into his eyes and mumbled, "Are you not tired from the flight?" "Mmm, no! I''m not!" Rome hastily said without a second thought. Then he warmly smiled at Catherine before iming her lips again as he grabbed onto her waist and pressed her body against his. Letting out a soft moan, Catherine wrapped her hands around Rome''s neck and closed her eyes tightly while allowing the feeling of excitement to course through her. "Hon," Catherine murmured. "Mmmm," Rome muttered in frustration. "Your phone is vibrating." "Let it ring." "It could be important." Frowning, Rome groaned loudly, throwing his head back. Then he reached his hand into his pocket and angrily mumbled, "Someone have a death wish!" After taking out his phone, he answered the call and said, "Who''s this?!" "Rome, Mr. Ford. It''s me. The guy you spoke with earlier today. Well, yesterday." A fellow voice echoed from the phone speaker. Running his fingers through his hair, Rome sighed and then said, "We were supposed to meet. But you never showed up!" "I know, and I''m very sorry." "So why did you stand me up?!" "My daughter is sick. I came to the hotel, but I didn''t enter because I suddenly got a message that her condition had deteriorated, and I needed to go to the hospital immediately." The fellow said from the other end of the call, sounding enraged. "Oh, I''m sor¡­" "My mind was so disturbed that I left the hotel immediately and flew out of the country to go and see her. I arrived at the hospital a couple of minutes ago, and to my shock, her conditions did not worsen, and she is stable." "What?" "I don''t know if it was a prank call from some sick person!" A frown crossed Rome''s face as he thought, ''He''s not the puppets'' master. But he was getting used by him! Damn it!!'' "How did you get my number and find out my address and name?" Rome asked, striving to keep focus. The was a brief pause. Then Rome heard him say, "Some unknown number message your information to me that day." "Do you still have the number?" Rome hastily asked. "Yes. I honestly don''t know how they found out that my business was struggling. But the person told me how powerful you are and that they can help me get you to support mypany if I followed their order and do exactly what they say." "So those things you said about knowing me?" "I was following a script. When you agree to meet me, I believe that their method had worked. But now that I have stood you up¡­" "I still want to meet you!" "Really?" With his gaze centered on Catherine''s curious eyes, Rome gave himself a second to think and then said, "Yes. I''m back home. But I will send you my information and address so you can fly on this end, and we can talk more." "Okay! Thank you, Mr. Ford. Oh, and by the way, I''m Mr. Jackson."The fellow said before Rome ended the call. Then he silently stared at Catherine as he worriedly thought, ''What kind of calctive psychopath am I dealing with here!?'' Chapter Forty-Six Chapter Forty-Six The dining table was quiet as Catherine and Rome had their breakfast. But she was all smiles as she bit into her toast. "What is it?" Rome asked, looking adoringly at her. "Nothing. I''m just happy." Catherine mumbled without losing her smile. Slightly shaking his head, Rome gave a brief chuckle before focusing on his bowl of strawberries. It got quiet again, but two minutester, Daniel, the head of the house security, walked into the dining room, disturbing the quietness as he said, "Ma''am, your cousin''s husband is here." "Dash?" Catherine asked, frowning faintly. "Why is he at our home this early?!" "Allow him inside, and take him to the living room." Rome calmly uttered. Nodding slightly, Daniel looked at him and said, "Yes, boss." Then he turned around and walked out of the dining room. "Did Chloe not contact Dash already to tell him where she is?!" Catherine said in annoyance. "Hey, it''s fine. Finish your food, and we can confront Dash together. Okay?" Rome said, gazing at her. Even though Catherine was still annoyed, she nodded before focusing on her food. A couple of minutester, she and Rome got done with breakfast and left for the living room. The moment they walked into the room and Dash''s sight rested on Rome, he jumped to his feet and shouted, "You bastard!" A frown settled on Rome''s face as he watched Dash rush towards him. When Dash was just a step away from Rome, he suddenly threw a punch, catching Rome off-guard, and his fist mmed against the right corner of Rome''s mouth. "What is wrong with you!" Catherine shouted, feeling shocked and enraged. The feeling of anger stirred within Rome when he felt a warm liquid roll down his lip, and in that instant, Dash went in for his second hit. But Rome grabbed his wrist, tightly in his grip, and with his other hand, he smashed his elbow into the side of Dash''s head, the soft spot high on the temple. As the pain tore through his head, Dash took a step back only to receive a vicious hit from Rome against his chest, causing him to take two more steps back before dropping to the floor. Struggling to catch his breath, Dash aggressively coughed until he spat out blood onto the marble, white tile. "Now, I advise you to think twice before getting your ass up and attempting another attack again!!" Rome coldly uttered, wiping the blood off his lips. "I thought you had some decency. Who knew you were just an asshole!" Dash screamed in rage. "Was Catherine not fucking enough for you! Did you have to sleep with my wife too!" "What are you talking about?" Catherine asked in confusion. "Your husband and my wife were in Archend together! Did he tell you that?" "I know that already, Dash!" "Okay! Okay then, he must have also told you how he slept with my wife!" Drawing her brows together into a frown, Catherine looked at Rome for a moment before ring at Dash and saying, "Nothing happened between my husband and Chloe. She tried toe on to him, bu¡­" "Hoho! Is that the garbage he fed you! That she tried to seduce him, but nothing happened!" Dash mockingly said. "You are so fucking naive, Catherine! He slept with Chloe, and I have evidence. The whole world has the proof!" In that instant, there were so many thoughts running through Catherine''s head, and she tried to fight off the negative ones, but they were the ones that were louder and convincing than the rest. "What nonsense are you spitting out?! I never slept with Chloe!" Rome casually uttered with a frown. A bitterugh escaped Dash''s lips as he reached into his pocket. Then he pulled out his phone, tossed it at Catherine''s feet, and said, "Oh, really! Then what the hell is this!" Striving to stop her body from shivering, Catherine gazed down at the phone with a look of hesitation in her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she reached for it and grabbed it off the floor before looking at the video on the screen. "y it!" Dash harshly said, looking her dead in the eyes. Slowly, Catherine turned her head to stare at Rome, and when their gaze met, he could see tears welling up in her eyes. "I didn''t sleep with your cousin." Rome slowly said while focusing solely on her teary eyes. A mirthlessugh echoed out of Dash''s mouth as he red at Rome with hurt in his eyes. Then without thinking straight for a second, he harshly uttered, "You are full of shit, you know that, right?! just because you help my family and me, you think I will be okay with you screwing my wife!" Suddenly, the room grew silent when Catherine hit the y button, and the three of them heard Chloe''s voice flowing from the phone speaker, "Rome Ford!" For a moment, none of them spoke. Then after a few seconds, they all heard, "You jerk! Is it okay to use a woman and leave without telling her!" Fighting back her tears, Catherine looked up at the ceiling and pressed her lips in a firm line while sniffing softly. "Just because your father is powerful, you think a woman''s body is just a toy! You are such a yer!" Chloe''s voice echoed again. "Babe," Rome called out to Catherine. But she refused to look down or gaze his way, and even though he felt enraged that someone was daring enough to post the video, he was more concerned about what she was feeling and thinking. "Young man, how could you be so heartless to such an innocent woman!" When Catherine heard the elderlydy''s voice, she immediately broke down and pped her hand over her mouth as she cry silently, fighting her urge to scream out the pain. "Do you believe me now!" Dash said, finally struggling back to his feet. Looking down at him, Catherine suppressed her emotions, and with a numb expression on her face, she sluggishly tossed his phone on the floor. "Rome didn''t sleep with your wife and this video proves nothing." Catherine coldly uttered as she watched him pick up his phone. "You damaged it!!" Dash harshly said. "Also, that''s a man robe on your cousin, and it''s exactly Rome''s size. Look how messy her hair is!" Then he leaped towards Catherine, looked deep into her eyes, and firmly said, "Don''t tell me you are this stupid!" Without holding back, Catherine clutched her jaw, raised her hand, and smacked him in the face. A look of shock crossed Dash''s face as he rested his palm on his cheek. "Get out!" Catherine coldly uttered without breaking eye contact with him. Striving to keep a grip on his anger, Rome red at Dash and said, "You heard her! Get out of our house!!" Even though Dash''s rage was still eating at him, he scowled at Rome and then hopped past him, heading out of the living room. When Dash left, Catherine turned to leave, but Rome grabbed her wrist and said, "Don''t tell me you believe that I slept with Chloe." "I don''t believe anything thates out of my cousin''s mouth, and no, I don''t believe that you two had sex." Catherine calmly mumbled, looking away from him. "Then what are you mad about?" "I just wish you were more honest in your details concerning what happened between you two in Archend." "I was trying to protect your feelings." Withdrawing her hand from Rome''s grip, Catherine frowned at him and said, "I didn''t need you to protect my feelings! I wanted honesty from you! You said, ''Nothing happened!" "I meant, sexually!" "Well, next time be clear with your words!" Then she walked out of the living room, ignoring Rome when he shouted after her, "Catherine, let''s talk about this." For a moment, he stood in the silence, dumbfounded by everything that had happened so far. Then a couple of minutester, the sound of footsteps drew his attention to the doorway, and a second after, Rome saw Scar entering the living room. When he reached Rome, he took one look at his face and said, "I guess you have seen the video." "Unfortunately, yes. Someone edited it. That''s not the entire clip of what took ce." Rome said, walking over to the couch. Then he sluggishly sat down and mumbled, "Whoever posted that video wanted to make it seem like something did happen between Chloe and me." "I spoke with Brook this morning, and he said that you got a call from the puppets'' master?" Scar calmly uttered. "It wasn''t him, and now that I think about it,st night was a setup." "How?" "Mr. Jackson''s call was to make me stay in Archend a little longer. The meeting between us was to get me to leave my room at eight, giving Chloe enough time to enter my suite." "Wow," "Making sure that Jackson doesn''t show up to our meeting, was another step up to get me to go back All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. to my suite alone, just in time to meet Chloe there." Feeling confused, Scar lowered his brows and mumbled out loud, "Wow, boss, how did you figure it out!" "Whoever this fool is, he has done his research on me, and he''s using a y from my book to take me down." Rome coldly uttered with a deadpan expression. Chapter Forty-Seven Chapter Forty-Seven The loud sound of the sd bowl crushing against the wall caused the servants to freeze for a moment as they tried not to look at their boss. "That boy is too soft on those Barlows! That''s why they are out here acting like a bunch of fools!" Mr. Ford shouted in a fit of rage. Swaying his gaze away from the broken pieces of bowl, he gazed down at the paused video disyed on his screen and then picked his phone off the dining room table. After scrolling through his contact for a while, he stopped at Brook''s number before dialing it. It took less than two seconds for Brook to answer the call. Then looking at ze with a look of nervousness on his face, he humbly said, "Hello, big boss." "Where are you!" Mr. Ford firmly asked. "ze and I are still in Archend per boss request. We just got done with aplishing his order and are about to book our ne tickets for home." "Before you get back here, I want you to get something for me from Archend." A couple of minutester, Mr. Ford''s call with Brook ended. Then he dialed another number, and when his call got answered, he said, " George, I need you and your team to n a party for me." "Of course, Mr. Ford. When is the party?" George cheerfully said from the other end of the call. "Tonight at eight." The line grew quiet for a couple of minutes. Then George finally replied, "Consider it done. I will send you a couple of pictures of venues for you to select, and also, what is the theme of the party?" "I don''t care what venue it happens in or what people wear! I need it done before eight!" Mr. Ford stated. "Okay, then. When my team and I get done, we will send you the necessary information." "George," "Yes, Mr. Ford," "Make sure that you get the word out. I need everyone at that party." "Your wish is mymand." After ending the call with George, he found another number in his contact and dialed it. "Taylor, there will be a party tonight. Make sure Miss Chloe is present by any means necessary. I will send you the venue locationter." "Yes, boss." Drawing a deep breath, Rome felt hesitant as he stood at the door of the guest room, gazing intensely at it. Then he slowly exhaled, knocked, and said, "Catherine, are you in there? Can you open up?" Silently, Catherine hugged onto the pillow as she drew her knees towards her chest and curled up into a ball. "I know you are in there. Well, Nora said that you were here. So, can you please stop ignoring me and let''s talk." Rome said, resting his forehead on the door. At that moment, his phone rang, and he frowned as he took it out of his pocket. Then when he saw that it was Mr. Ford calling, he sighed heavily and answered the call. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "Dad now is not a good time," Rome uttered, withdrawing away from the door. "My daughter-inw''s phone is off! That''s why I''m calling you, brat." Mr. Ford said, staring at the ss of water on the table. "I guess you are calling about the video." "No. I''m calling to invite you and my daughter-inw to my party." Frowning, Rome scratched his brows and mumbled, "Why are you having a party at such a time?" "To take the tension off you and Catherine''s nerves." Mr. Ford said, clutching onto the ss. "Why don''t I believe that''s the actual reason." "Stop reading too much into things, and you guys should go to Jerry to get yourselves some nice outfits for tonight." "Dad, I don''t have the time to celebrate, and Catherine is kind of pissed with me, so¡­" "That''s more reason you guys need to get out of that house and have a little fun." For a moment, Rome said nothing as he wondered in his head a moment. Then he grumbled and calmly uttered, "Okay. I will ask Catherine, and if she''s willing to go, then we both will be there." "Good. See you guys tonight at eight o''clock." Mr. Ford said before ending the call. When she heard a knock on the door, Catherine slowly raised hershes and listened. Knocking gently for the second time, Rome said, "My dad said he''s hosting a party tonight, and he just called to invite us. If you don''t feel like attending¡­" "I will go." Catherine loudly said. "Are you sure? Because¡­" "I want to go. A little distraction from all this stuff will help me feel a bit better." "Okay," Even though the living room was quiet, there was tension in the atmosphere as Mr. Barlow aggressively tapped his feet on the floor. A smirk settled on Charles''s lips as he tried to fight back his urge tough. "How could your daughter be so useless!!" Madam Roseyshed out, zing at Dana. "Mother, although this is somehow Chloe''s fault, we can not excuse the fact that Rome took advantage of her and slept with her," Elijah mumbled, lowering his head when Mr. Barlow threw him a dirty look. Unable to suppress his words anymore, Charles looked at Elijah, mockingly chuckled, and said, "Took advantage of her? Are we talking about someone else or Chloe?" "What is that supposed to mean!" Elijah harshly uttered. Frowning, Richard gave his uncle a side nce and mumbled, "He means that your daughter is a useless slu!" "Richard! Stay out of this!" Elijah shouted, tightening his fist. "Whatever," "Thest time I checked, your brother is still in jail because of Rome, so don''t you think it is just in stupid to stand up for him." "Who says I''m standing up for him! I hate Rome, but that doesn''t mean I like any of you either." mming his book shut, Richard stood to his feet, red at his uncle, and then casually walked out of the living room. "Honey, what are we going to do with such news? From the looks of it, Rome didn''t seem happy in the video that Chloe called him out like that." Madame Rosey cried out. "What do you mean by, ''What are we going to do? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! We are going to stand back and hope that this doesn''t lead to Catherine and Rome getting a divorce." Mr. Barlow harshly said in annoyance. With a hint of worry in her eyes, Madam Rosey looked at Catherine''s mother and said, "Have you called your daughter!?" Sadly staring at her mother-inw, she let out a soft breath and said, "Her phone is off." "Try to get in touch with her again, or better yet, go to her house. Even if Rome and Chloe slept together, she''s not allowed to get a divorce from him." "Doesn''t my daughter''s emotions matter in this house?" "What stupid emotion are you talking about, uh! Rome being your daughter''s husband is the most honorable thing that happened to this family! We can''t afford to lose that over some nonsense feelings g!" Narrowing his eyes, William snorted and said, ''I wouldn''t say, ''it is the most honorable thing that has happened to this family.'' After all, he''s getting used of being involved with both cousins." "Do you know why a man like Rome Ford is invisible!" Mr. Barlow said, scowling at his son. Even though he felt too annoyed to answer, William frowned and mumbled, "Because he''s wealthy." "Yes, fool! Rome is loaded! And with such money and power, he can make anything go away. That''s why him being married to Catherine, is our family fortune! She is more useful to this family being married to Rome than she has ever been in her life!" Mr. Barlow firmly said. In a fit of rage, Edward pped his palm on the chair arm and sarcastically shouted, "Wow, father! What an amazing grandfather you are!" "You are no better either. Since this news came out, you haven''t made a singlement! Is it because you now work for Rome, and you are afraid of getting fired by him!" Anthony said, rolling his eyes at his brother. "No. It''s because I don''t believe Rome would lower his standard and sleep with Chloe!" "Haha!" Annoyed, Elijah threw his brother a dirty look and shouted, "He married your daughter, didn''t he! That is the lowest his standard could get!" Without thinking for a second, Edward jumped to his feet, and once Elijah saw him do that, he too got off the couch. "You want to catch these hands!?" Edward yelled, marching over to his brother. "Bring it on, prick!" Elijah shouted, raising his chest as he clutched his fists. Grimacing at his sons, Mr. Barlow pped the couch arm and firmly uttered, "You two, sit your asses back down!" At first, both men didn''t listen. But then Susanna walked into the living room, and everyone''s attention drew to her. "Sir, Ma''am, I have a package addressed to you guys," Susanna said as she walked over to Mr. Barlow and Madam Rosey. When she reached them, she handed the package to Madam Rosey and then turned around, leaving the room. The living room was quiet as Madam Rosey opened the package. Then she took out a bunch of fancy square-sized papers. "What are they?" Mr. Barlow asked. "Invitations to Mr. Ford''s party for tonight at eight." Madam Rosey mumbled, staring at the invites one after the other. "Everyone got invited. Well, except Chloe." Chapter Forty-Eight Chapter Forty-Eight Six hours before the party, when Chloe stepped out of the airport and the afternoon sun hit against her face, she drew her cap downward and lowered her head. Even though the dark sses on her face felt a bit ufortable, she refused to take it off as she stared around looking for a cab. Then she suddenly saw a built guy with his hair wrapped in a bun waving at her. ''Wow, he would be a total catch if he was loaded and not a cab driver.'' Chloe thought as she approached him. After she reached him, he smiled and said, "Good day, miss. Where are you heading?" "Can you take me to Stargate resort?" Chloe asked, gazing at the yellow taxi behind him. Then she narrowed her eyes as she thought, ''Right now, I need toy low until all this can die down. Who knows what Rome will do to me if I show my face now.'' After the cab driver had opened the door for her, Chloe got in the backseat. Then he gently shut door closed. Staring at the tinted window, Chloe sighed and thought, ''Was it even worth it, giving up my freedom to split up Catherine and Rome?'' A look of hate suddenly clouded her eyes, and she mumbled, "It''s a tiny price to pay as long as she is miserable!" "Did you say something, miss?" Chloe heard the driver ask, and she stared away from the window. Then she gazed at him and slightly shook her head as she said, "No." After a brief pause, she looked into the v mirror and asked, "How much will be my fare?" "Oh, I get paid every month for doing this, so I don''t need your money." The driver said, ncing back at her for a second before focusing on the road. "What is the meaning of that?" "Well, I have already been paid to get you." Goosebumps immediately covered Chloe''s entire skin as her face grew pale, and she slowly and firmly asked, "Who the hell are you!?" "I don''t think my name will be useful in this situation, but you can call me, ''Taylor." Fear ceased Chloe''s entire being as she mumbled, "You are taking me to Stargate resort, right?" "Actually, Nahh... You are needed somewhere else." Taylor casually said. Feeling desperate and terrified, Chloe smiled spastically and hastily uttered, "What is your monthly pay? Tell me, and whatever it is, I promise to double it if you let me go." "Okay," Taylor said with a smirk. "I make three hundred thousand dors a month." A look of shock crossed Chloe''s face as she paused and thought, ''He''s actually loaded!'' Eyeing her from the v mirror, Taylor smirked and asked, "Do you have six hundred thousand dors to give me?" "Well, my cousin-inw is Rome Ford. If you let me go, I can get the money from him. I swear! Just give me your ount details, an¡­" "If I let you go, what am I going to tell his father then? Oh, and thest time I heard, you are trying to frame my boss by using him of sleeping with you even though he is married to your cousin." Holding in hisugh, Taylor paused for a moment and then asked, "How are you going to get him to give you six hundred thousand dors after your shameless lies on his name, huh?!" Speechless, lines of stress form on Chloe''s forehead as she dug her nails into her palm and thought, ''I''m doom!'' Five hours before the party, Catherine and Rome walked into Jerry''s boutique, and when he saw them, he tried to smile, but their faces were way too serious, so he didn''t. "Good day, Jerry." Catherine gently said. "A pleasant day to both of you." Jerry calmly uttered, finally giving Catherine a quick smile. "What can I All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. do for you two?" "My father is hosting some random party, and we would appreciate it if you could pick up something for us to wear," Rome said with his hand stuck in his pocket. "I got you. You both can take a seat in the VIP room, and I will grab my daintiness and one-of-a-kind clothings that I have." Jerry said as his eyes lit up. Then he left from behind the desk and rushed off, knowing that Catherine and Rome knew their way around the boutique. Now that it was just the two of them, Rome looked at Catherine and said, "I didn''t exin things in detail because it meant nothing to me, and I didn''t want to hurt you with useless pieces of information. But I see now that it was selfish of me..." Looking up at his eyes, Catherine faintly smiled with a look of adoration in her gaze and softly uttered, "Hon..." "Please let me finish." Rome softly uttered. "Even though it meant nothing to me, I should have considered that it might have meant something to you and be totally honest about everything. You shouldn''t have had to hear it from some edited video clip instead." Keeping silent, Catherine stared intensely into Rome''s eyes and then wholeheartedly cried, "I love you so freaking much, Rome Miller Ford!" At that moment, the boutique door opened, and two stylishly dresseddies walked inside. The moment they set their eyes on Catherine and Rome, they slightly frowned, and Catherine noticed it as she gazed at them. But she brushed it off, took Rome''s hand, and led him away. A couple of minutester, as Catherine and Rome waited on Jerry, she suddenly felt the urge to use thedy''s room. So she excused herself and walked out. When Catherine entered the bathroom, she had spent only a few seconds in the stall when she heard the door open and then shut. "Did you see how she was clutching onto his hand? Like how unashamed can you be to cling onto a man that slept with your cousin!" Catherine heard a grating voice say, and she rolled her eyes. Then a few secondster, she heard a honeyed voice utter, "He must not even like her that much if he''s sleeping around with her cousin and that dancer." "I wonder how many other women stand a chance with Rome Ford?" "Why? Do you want to try your luck?" "I mean, who wouldn''t. With such a body, look, and wealth, which woman wouldn''t want a taste of him?" Narrowing her eyes, Catherine smirked and loudly said, "Then go ahead and try your luck." An awkward silence took over the atmosphere when Catherine walked out of the stall and red at the twodies. Then she sneered and said, "You want my husband, right? Go for him and let''s see if he does not look the other way." Frowning at Catherine, thedy narrowed her eyes and mockingly uttered, "You are quite prideful for someone who just got cheated on." "That''s because I can never see a woman like you as a threat to my marriage." Annoyed, she scowled and angrily uttered, "What do you mean by a woman like me!" "Don''t y dumb. I don''t have to exin myself. You already know the kind of woman you are!" Catherine said, giving a smug smile. At that moment, the was a knock on the door, and Rome''s voice echoed into the room a secondter, "Babe, are you in there?" "Yes," Catherine called out without breaking eye contact with thedies. "Okay. When you get done, can youe to the dressing room? I know that you are supposed to choose your own dress. But there''s this stunning gown that I think you will look deadass gorgeous in and super hot." "Wait for me. I will be out in a couple of seconds." "Okay. I''m so eager to see you in it. I think only your beauty can do it true justice." It was silent for a few seconds. Then Rome''s voice echoed in the bathroom, "I didn''t get to say it when you said it previously, so I want to say it now." "Say what?" Catherine cunningly asked with her gaze still fixed on thedies as they silently stood still. "I am crazy in love with you, Catherine Barlow Miller Ford." Rome''s voice flowed into the bathroom. A cute smile crept on Catherine''s lip as a look of pride glowed on her face. Then her expression suddenly grew cold as she looked thedies dead in their eyes and casually said, "Go ahead and try your luck." Then she smirked before walking away, leaving them gazing speechlessly behind her as she walked out of the bathroom. Two hours until the party, Mr. Ford gazed swayed towards the door when the sound of a knock echoed into his bedroom. Then he calmly uttered, "Come inside." The door opened, and Butler Hobson walked into the room, stopped a few distances away from the bed with a garment bag in his hand, and said, "Sir, your suit has arrived." "Hang it on the rack." Mr. Ford said, staring at the ck bag. Then his attention suddenly got drawn to his phone when it rang, and he picked it up, seeing that Brook was the one calling." "Big boss, we are in the country, and we have what you asked us to get," Brook said, gazing at ze behind the driver seat. "Good. Do not let Rome know about it, and keep it safe until I give my next order." "Yes, big boss." One hour till the party, Chloe strived to slip her wrists out of the tight rope that bound them together. But her effort was a wasted one, and she was simply causing herself pain. Finally, she stopped struggling when she heard the warehouse door open. Immediately, she gazed to her right, and her sight rested on Taylor approaching her. When he was only a foot away from Chloe, he stopped, removed the tape from her lip, and said, "It''s time to free you." "You are letting me go?" Chloe asked in doubt. "Oh, no! You have a big night ahead of you." "What!!" Chapter Fourty-Nine Chapter Fourty-Nine At eight on the dot, the grand hall of the Elite Eight Hotel seemed already crowded with guests. Not a single person who got an invite didn''t show up. Everyone pretended to be into the wine, food, and entertainment, but what they all actually wanted to know was why Mr. Ford was celebrating when his son was in a crucial situation. The news about Rome and Chloe was no secret to any of them. But not a single guest was willing to make small talk about it since their fear of Mr. Ford was still strong. However, when the door opened, and Rome walked in with Catherine by his side, some of the guests couldn''t help frowning at him. "Why are we here!" Dash harshly uttered, hardening his face. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Staring at her son with an unbothered expression on her face, Mrs. Johnson said, "Because Mr. Ford invited us." "Don''t you two think our family name has gotten humiliated enough!" Dashshed out at his parents. A frown crossed Mr. Johnson''s face as he stared at his son and said, "Watch your tongue. Rome Ford is the reason this family can still get recognized and respected!" "Haha, respect! I am a mockery, a joke because of what he has done! Do you know the humiliating things others are saying about me! Me being here is degrading since...!" Dash firmly said. Then he clenched his fist and continued, "Since people are gossiping that I''m not a man, that''s why my wife betrayed me for another!" "Suck it up, and stop acting like a boy! Be a man, Dash! Our family sess is way more important than your marital problems!" Mr. Johnson coldly said without a care. However, thest thing Dash wanted to do was suck it up and let the matter go. Smiling brightly, Madam Rosey grabbed Mr. Barlow''s arm and happily cried, "Catherine and Rome seemed fine. I guess I was worried over nothing." "Well, I''m d that she has this family interest at heart and not allowing some stupid emotion toe between her and him." Mr. Barlow said, looking at his granddaughter. When Catherine squeezed his arm, Rome looked down at her and asked, "Are you okay?" "Yes¡­ I mean, no." Catherine mumbled, looking up at him. "It just feels ufortable knowing what all these people are thinking about you¡­ and me." "If you are bothered, we can leav... " "No, I don''t want to leave." When Rome furrowed his brows at Catherine, she softly sighed and said, "I just wished that all these people knew the truth so you won''t get judged falsely." Keeping silent, Rome faintly smiled at her and then said, "Don''t worry. I will fix this." Those words gave Catherine a sense offort, and she grinned at Rome. Within that moment, Catherine''s sight rested on her parents, standing a couple of distances away from them, staring at her and Rome. "I should rify things with my father and mother. Hopefully, they will believe my words this time." Catherine said, focusing back on Rome''s eyes. "We should do it together," Rome said, taking her hand in his. At that moment, he heard his father''s voice, "Son,e here for a second." Swaying his attention off Catherine, Rome gazed to his right and saw Mr. Ford, looking straight at him. "You should go. I can do this alone." Catherine softly intoned. For a moment, Rome hesitated. Then he rested his palms on her cheeks and kissed her forehead before walking away, heading to his father. When Rome reached Mr. Ford, he frowned and asked, "What is this party really about?" "I appreciate Miller a lot. But he made you a bit too soft." Mr. Ford straightforwardly said as he looked over Rome''s shoulder and nced at Mr. Miller, watching the both of them from a distance. "There''s nothing wrong with being soft sometimes." "No, there''s nothing wrong with that. But when you are vulnerable to the wrong people then that''s where the problemid." Silent fell between both men as Rome intensely gazed into his father''s eyes. Then he casually asked, "What is tonight really about?" "Tonight, well, it''s about finding out the truth." Mr. Ford said with a faint smirk. Can you speak clearly?" "And ruin the surprise? I don''t think so." Smiling faintly at his daughter, Edward held Catherine''s hand and said, "So it''s like that. Chloe was the one who came on to Rome, but he refused her?" "Yes. And all the things Chloe said were lies said out of hate." Catherine calmly exined. "I knew Rome was too decent to do something that scandalous." A look of shock crossed Catherine''s face as she stared at her father. Then she finally got over her feelings and mumbled, "You believe me?" When Edward was about to answer, Dash suddenly appeared out of nowhere and coldly uttered, "Of course, he believes you! He''s your father and Rome''s employee! But I personally think you are delusional and need to wake the hell up!" "Dash, I think you are the one in denial here. I know it must be humiliating to ept that my cousin would literally dump you for any man she thinks is better than you. But you have to, for your sake." Catherine calmly stated. Frustrated, anger spiked in Dash''s eyes as he rudely uttered, "Oh really! I''m the one who doesn''t want to see the truth?! There''s evidence that justifies that Rome slept with my wife! But where''s his proof that it didn''t happen!" The musician suddenly stopped ying, and the hall grew silent as everyone''s gaze swayed towards Catherine and Dash. Within a couple of seconds, the sound of whispers aroused in the hall. "I know people can be naive, but how ignorant can Catherine be?" A woman mumbled to thedies beside her. "You say ''naive,'' I say she''s ying innocent, so people can not judge her for staying by his side after all the mess he had gotten himself in! After all, ''DreamTeam'' had risen rapidly in sess after everyone found out about Rome''s identity." One of thedies said, scowling at Catherine. "The Barlows are just a bunch of leeches sucking off the Ford, and even though I thought Catherine would be different, she is no different from them." The otherdy stated. A frown settled on Mr. Johnson''s face as he red at Dash and then looked at the stressful look in his wife''s expression. "Are you really going to stand here and pretend like you don''t know the kind of person my cousin is?" Catherine coldly uttered. ring at her, Dash clenched his fist and said, "Oh, I know the kind of person Chloe is. But I also wouldn''t let her take the fall for something that clearly¡­" "Didn''t happen between my son and her!" Mr. Ford firmly said without taking his cold eyes off Dash. Instantly, the whispering died down as all of the guests held in their words. At that exact moment, the grand hall door opened, and Chloe walked in, gently holding onto Taylor''s arm. The entire time he led her to Mr. Ford, Chloe''s eyes remained glued to the floor, and she refused to lift her head even after they came to a stop a couple of minutester. "Dad, what''s going on?" Rome asked, staring in shock at Chloe. "Stay out of this, and take note." Mr. Ford coldly uttered. Then he ced his icy gaze on Chloe and coldly uttered, "Lift your head." When she hesitated, Mr. Ford scowled and harshly shouted, "Look at me when I''m speaking to you!!" Immediately, Chloe raised her head, and when her eyes met Mr. Ford''s cold gaze, she felt instant chills. Keeping silent, Mr. Ford took two steps towards Chloe and then asked, "What happened between you and my son in Archend?" A look of worry clouded Madam Rosey''s eyes as she gazed at her granddaughter, desperately hoping that she would not say something to offend Mr. Ford. "Come on, spoiled brat. Don''t say anything stupid." Mr. Barlow firmly mumbled. With Catherine''s eyes focused on her cousin, her brow furrowed, and her lips twitched as she eagerly hoped that she would tell the truth. At that moment, Chloe looked to her left, and when she and Catherine''s gaze met, she clutched her jaws and thought, ''I rather die than allow you to be happy. That''s how much I hate you, dear cousin.'' Then Chloe looked back at Mr. Ford, gave a smug smile, and firmly uttered, "Your son and I had sex." Chapter Fifty Chapter Fifty The hall suddenly became noisy with whispers and mumbles because the guests were too stupefied and aggrieved to hold back their words anymore. Raw anger shot through Rome as he red at Chloe. Then he was about to speak when his face suddenly went nk as he watched Mr. Ford lift his hand and smack his palm against Chloe''s cheek. Instantly, the entire hall became still and voiceless as everyone''s eyes widened in shock, except Mr. Ford. Tears rolled from the corners of Chloe''s eyes as she dumbfoundedly gazed at Mr. Ford with a touch of pain in her expression. "Dad," Rome softly called out. "Stay out of this!" Mr. Ford harshly uttered, ring back at his son. Then he grimaced at Chloe and firmly asked, "What happened between my son and you in Archend?" "Rome and I had sex." Chloe boldly stated, sniffing softly. Without any hesitation, Mr. Ford scowled andnded his second p against the same cheek, causing Chloe to shriek loudly. "I can do this all night!" Mr. Ford coldly said. "What happened between my son and you in Archend!?" "Rome and I slept together!" Chloe loudly cried out with tears rushing down her face. But that didn''t stop Mr. Ford from releasing another harsh p on her cheek. "She has already told you the truth! What more do you want from my daughter!" Elijah screamed in rage, throwing Mr. Ford a dirty look. Ignoring Elijah''s words, Mr. Ford gave Chloe an icy stare and asked, "What happened between my son and you in Archend!?" "I¡­ Well, I¡­" Chloe muttered, pausing for a second. Then she turned her head toward Catherine, and as Chloe stared into her cousin''s eyes, a smirk surfaced on her lips, and she mockingly intoned, "Rome and I made love that night." Not even giving it a second thought, Mr. Ford smacked her in the cheeks again. "This is not making me think twice about Rome being innocent. If anything, it just makes him look more guilty." A fellow mumbled with a frown. "Seriously! And Mr. Ford using his power to bully this poor child is just wrong." A gentleman replied, slightly shaking his head. As Madam Rosey watched Mr. Ford give Chloe the same question and then p her for giving him the exact answer, she frowned. Then she looked at Mr. Barlow and cried, "We should do something. We can''t allow her to keep getting hit like that! It will scar her face." "Do what? Do you think we Barlows or anyone in this room has the power to stop this from happening?" Mr. Barlow coldly uttered. "If your granddaughter could use whatever brain cells she has left in that head of hers, she wouldn''t be going through this." A couple of minutes passed, and during that entire time, the only sounds in the hall were Mr. Ford and Chloe''s voice, and the noise from his p. "Ford, don''t you think that''s enough. It''s clear that she''s not willing to tell us the truth." Mr. Miller called out. "If she doesn''t, then I won''t stop!" Mr. Ford coldly said without taking his gaze off Chloe. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Seeing that he was dead serious, Chloe hesitated for a moment as she stared around the room and then thought, ''Even if I say the truth now, no one will believe it after what Mr. Ford has done to me.'' Afterward, she fixed her gaze back on Mr. Ford when he asked again, "What happened between my son and you in Archend!?" "Rome and I slept together," Chloe mumbled, barely able to get the words out clearly because of the pain in her jaw. Then she waited for Mr. Ford to raise his hand before she pitifully shouted in tears, "Please don''t hit me again, please. I will tell the truth." Pausing for a moment, Mr. Ford red at her. Then he slowly lowered his hand and said, "Go ahead." Keeping silent, Chloe pitifully stared at the faces of the guests, looking at her, and then said, "Nothing happened between Rome and me in Archend!" The doubtful look that clouded the guests'' expression made Chloe believe that her guess was exact and that none of them had epted the words she had just said. "I broke into Rome''s hotel suite, tried to tempt him into having intercourse with me, but he didn''t and left. I felt enraged afterward and made up the entire story of us sleeping together so I can hurt him like the way he humiliated me by rejecting me." Chloe softly uttered, sharing a few tears to keep up the innocent appearance. Then she looked at Mr. Ford and sadly cried, "Please don''t hit me anymore. I have said what you wanted me to say." With tears in her eyes, Dana looked at Elijah and cried, "Our poor daughter. She''s innocent, and yet, he did such a brutal thing to her to clear his son''s reputation." "Don''t worry. Even though Chloe just said those things, almost everyone in this room doesn''t believe it. He just ruined his son''s reputation even more by hurting our daughter like that." Elijah firmly uttered with his fist clenched. The words he said were actually urate. Most of the guests were angry in their spirit with Mr. Ford and saw Chloe as the victim in the situation. Only Catherine, her parents, Mr. Miller, Richard, Charles, Rome, and a few others actually believe what Chloe had confessed to doing. A smirk crept on Mr. Ford''s lip as he gazed at Chloe and then said, "You think you are clever? Well, let me give you a piece of information. I am an old crook myself." Then he swayed his gaze away from her, looked at the guests, and said, "Now that Chloe Barlow had spoken the truth, it''s time to move on to the next agenda of the party." A look of confusion settled on some of the guest''s faces, and a few of them scowled at Mr. Ford. But he ignored their expressions and stares and pulled out his phone. After dialing Brook''s number and he answered the call, Mr. Ford coldly uttered with no remorse in his tone, "Release it to the public!" "Yes, big boss," Brook said from the other end of the line. It took a couple of minutes. Then everyone in the room phone started getting a notification, including Catherine and Rome. "The videos you and everyone else that have ess to the Inte have received are the CCTV cameras from my son''s suite, the hotel hallways, and the lobby. They are recordings from the night Chloe imed that she and Rome slept together!" Mr. Ford loudly said. Within no time, all the guests were clicking on the footage, and the grand hall became noisy with sounds from the video''s audio. Suddenly, the color drained from Chloe''s face when she heard Rome''s voice, "And most importantly, where''s your damn clothes!" Then her mouth grew dry, and she screamed in her head, ''No! No! No, this can''t be happening.'' "Hotel za has incredible security cameras, and as you all can see, the footage is raw, and no editing got done to them. You all can tell from the time frame on the videos." Mr. Ford casually uttered. Widening her eyes, Madam Rosey took her gaze off her phone screen and looked at Mr. Barlow, and she could tell that he was just as enraged as her. "There''s no humiliation greater than this!, Mr. Barlow coldly uttered. "I no longer have a granddaughter named Chloe Barlow!" With his fingers folded in a tight fist, Elijah gazed at Chloe and sighed out his frustration before mumbling, "There''s noing back from this. Our daughter is ruined!" The look on Mr. Ford''s face was cold as he red into Chloe''s eyes and uttered, "Don''t mess with my family. I will not hesitate to drag you down and bury you in the dust. Pass the message onto the clown that put you up to this mess." Then he walked past Chloe and walked away, heading for the grand hall door. As Rome gazed at his father leaving the hall, he quickly shoved his phone into his pocket and ran after him. For a moment, Catherine stared at Rome''s back. Then she softly sighed and gazed at Chloe. After a couple of seconds had passed, she walked up to her and said, "I know that I should be mad at you, and I am. But having nude images of you released to the public is way too harsh of a punishment. So I will ask ''father'' to take it down, hopefully by tomorrow." "A, that''s so nice of you¡­" Chloe mockingly said with a stiff smile. "Bitch, you must think that you are better than me now, right?!" "I don''t! What''s your problem with me, Chloe!" "It''s simple. I detest your stupid face and everything about you. Seeing you get all that should be mine disgusts me! You don''t have the right to be the family''s top heiress, and you sure don''t deserve a man like Rome!" Keeping silent, Catherine shook her head, feeling stunned that her own blood could hate her this much. A cold smile crept on Chloe''s lip as she looked solely into Catherine''s eyes and then said, "Now that I think about it, I will advise you, dear cousin, not to rejoice just yet. Because whoever helped me seems to really want Rome''s downfall." "What do you mean!" Catherine asked, knowing fully well who Chloe was talking about and what she meant. Yet, she hoped that Chloe would know more than she already knew. Smiling faintly, Chloe leaned closer towards Catherine''s ear and then whispered, "You guys might have won today, but don''t celebrate just yet because I don''t think that person is quite done yet. My guess, they just started, and I can''t wait for the day they seed against you two." Finally, Rome caught up to his father as he was about to get into his car. Stopping in his tracks, Mr. Ford looked at Rome and then said, "Don''t get mad at Brook and ze. They were taking direct orders from me." "I''m not mad," Rome said, letting out a sigh. "Instead, I''m thankful to you for tonight." "Sorry that I kept you in the dark. I know how much Miller''s opinion means to you, and I didn''t want to put you in an awkward position." "Dad," "He has more impact on your life than I ever will, and I''m grateful for that. So don''t change, and let me be the one to do the dirty work and have your back." For a moment, Rome said nothing. Then he smiled and mumbled, "Thanks, dad." Silent fell between them for a couple of seconds before Mr. Ford calmly uttered, "Oh, and Brook said that they aplished what you asked them to do in Archend." "They found out how Chloe got ess to my room?" Rome asked, feeling a bit hopeful. Chapter Fifty-One Chapter Fifty-One Staring at Chloe with a look of disappointment on her face, Catherine remained silent, finally deciding that her cousin wasn''t worth arguing with and that she needed to leave. Then without uttering a word, Catherine tried to walk past Chloe. But she suddenly grabbed her wrist and said, "Where the hell do you think you are going?" "Trying to get as far away as I can from someone as bitter as you because you have a toxic energy, and I would rather not have you in my space!" Catherine firmly uttered as she jerked her hand out of Chloe''s grip. Swaying her gaze away from her cousin for a second, Chloe sneered and then coldly mumbled, "Well, look at that. Haha, this bitch really thinks she''s better than me." "You know what, Chloe! Maybe I am! Because, the bunch of nonsense that you have done to me, I would have never, ever done that to you in this lifetime or the next!" Catherine said in annoyance. "Also, it doesn''t take a lot to act like a decent human being, you know!" Those words triggered emotions within Chloe, and her feeling of hate for her cousin only grew stronger as she rested her sight back on Catherine. Then feeding off that feeling of rage and hate, Chloe hastily raised her hand. But Mr. Miller suddenly appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her wrist before she could swing her hand toward Catherine''s face. "Who the hel¡­" Chloe screamed, pausing when she finally realized that everyone''s eyes had been on them for some time now, and guests were whispering. "I''m a man of little violence. But now, even I think that what Ford did to you was justifiable." Mr. Miller harshly said, letting go of her wrist. Then he frowned at Chloe and uttered, "Even if you did seed in whatever your intentions were for my son, I would have never, ever epted a daughter-inw like you!" In annoyance, he took one long look at Chloe before taking Catherine''s hand in his and leading her away. As Chloe watched them walk away, she frowned when she noticed Dash approaching her. After he was only a step away from her, Chloe narrowed her eyes and mumbled, "What? Are you here to p me too?!" "No. I''m here to give this to you." Dash said, reaching for her hand. Feeling stunned, Chloe didn''t struggle when he held her wrist and turned her palm upward, but when he ced his wedding band on her palm, her expression grew cold. "What is this supposed to mean!?" Chloe asked, meeting Dash''s cold gaze. As he frowned at her, he pressed her fingers over the ring, creating a fist with her hand, and said, "I''m filing for a divorce, Chloe. You have done enough, and I have had enough." ''If I had seeded with getting together with Rome, I wouldn''t give a care in the world if you divorce me. But now, I need you, and I can''t lose the status as the Johnsons'' only daughter-inw.'' Chloe thought, gazing deep into Dash''s eyes. Then she softly sniffed as tears welled up in her eyes and said, "Honey, you can''t be serious!" "Of course, I am!" Dashshed out at her. "What were you expecting!? That I will wee you back with open arms after all the chaos and hurt that you have caused!" "Honey,e on, please! I know that I have made some bad choices, and you have the right to get mad at me and hate me. But I love you, and it''s you that I want. I can see that clearly now." "Can you stop ying the victim here for once? Do you even know what love is?! I have done my part in this marriage and held the end of my vow! How about you! Can you say the same?!" Realizing when Dash''s face hardened that he wasn''t kidding about the divorce, Chloe allowed her tears to pour, grabbed his hand, and cried, "I''m sorry. I swear that I''m going to change. So can we please go home and talk this over, please." "To talk about what!? How you emotionally and physically been cheating on me!" Dashshed out, pulling his hand away from her. "I have let a lot of things in our marriage slid! But now, I am really done with you!" A weight of embarrassment crashed on Chloe''s shoulders as she noticed others looking at them, especially her with a look of contempt on their faces, and the mumbling from them was getting louder. Then she pitifully gazed at Dash and whispered, "People are staring honey. Let''s go home and talk this over." "We have absolutely nothing to talk about, Chloe. So if you want people to stop staring, then stop creating a scene and ept the fact that we are over with." Dash firmly mumbled beneath his breath. Feeling desperate, Chloe looked over at Madam Rosey, and even though she noticed her grandmother scowling at her, she didn''t hesitate to rush over to her with the thought of getting her to talk to Dash. When she reached Mr. Barlow and Madam Rosey, Chloe was about to speak when her grandfather coldly uttered, "You are going to book a flight for tonight to wherever you want to go, get on that ne, and you are never going to show your face back here again!" "What!?" Chloe asked, clenching her brow as a look of anger spiked in her eyes. "You heard me. I need you away from this mess that you have created, and especially, I want you away from this family." "Are you disowning me?!" "Yes. Yes, I am. You have caused this family enough humiliation as it is! I want you gone!" Sneering, Chloe took a long, hard look at her grandfather and then coldly uttered, "Do you think I will be the only one punished for my offense! Karma is a bitch, and she doesn''t segregate. So you can think that you have gotten rid of the problem by banishing me or whatever the hell this is! But¡­" The was a brief pause as a smirk crept on Chloe''s lip when Mr. Barlow frowned at her. Then she looked directly into his eyes and firmly uttered, "But the real problem is not just me! We will all have to fall, one after the other, and you know that!" "Chloe, stop talking nonsense like a mad person, and do as your grandfather says!" Madam Rosey "Oh, I will leave! But not because of him, but because I n toy low for a while!!" "That''s good since we don''t need any more scandal from this family because we have had enough already!" This family itself is a scandal!!" For a moment, Chloe frowned at her grandfather and grandmother. Then she swayed her gaze to the right, and in that instant, she locked eyes with Elijah. But he suddenly dragged his gaze off her and looked the other way. ''We are all evildoers. But the moment one gets caught, the rest suddenly be saints. What a bunch of hypocrites!'' Chloe thought in annoyance. ''I guess he''s useless to me too.'' Then she pulled out her phone and texted, "I supposed you were manipting me all along for your self-gain!" After she pressed the sent icon, the message got rejected, and then she realized a tiny text at the bottom of her inbox, "Sender does not support replies." A nk expression settled on Chloe''s face as she stared around the room andughed out her frustration, "My number got blocked! Haha, I really got taken advantage of, and yet, why don''t I feel as half as angry as I should?" Then Chloe rested her sight on Catherine, and when she saw Rome approaching her, she scowled and mumbled, "Maybe it''s because I know whoever this person is, they are going to make your life miserable someday, and that''s worth getting manipted by them." When Rome reached Catherine and Mr. Miller, he smiled at her and then fixed his eyes on his father. "Dad, I¡­" Rome said, pausing when Mr. Miller suddenly pulled him into his arms and patted his back. "It must be hard on you," Mr. Miller softly uttered with a trembling voice. "Dad," "I''m sorry for being so hard on you, and I''m so proud of the man that you are!" The words got stuck in Rome''s throat, and without holding back, he wrapped his arms around his father and whispered, "It is hard, dad." "Then do whatever you have to do to make it easier. I promise that I will support you fully." Mr. Miller cried. Finally, getting control over his voice, Rome mumbled, "Thanks, dad." After Mr. Miller let go of him, Rome looked at Catherine and asked, "Are you ready to leave this ce?" "Yes," Catherine mumbled, smiling faintly. With a look of pride on his face, Mr. Miller grinned when Catherine looked at him with a hint of hesitation in her expression. Then he heartily said, "You kids should head home. I will be leaving too. It''s way past my bedtime already." Afterward, he hugged Catherine and then gave Rome a manly tap on his back before walking away. The moment Rob, his bodyguard, saw him leave, he rushed after Mr. Miller and led him out of the grand hall. A couple of minutester, when Catherine and Rome arrived in the hotel parking lot, they looked so adorable with her in thefort of his arm as he led her to the car. But what they didn''t know was that Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. they were getting watched. "Weren''t you afraid that attending such an event would risk your identity getting out?" Amara asked, looking at the person seated by her in the backseat of her ck range rover. Then she frowned when she heard them coldly inquire, "Are you afraid that what happened to Chloe or worse will happen to you if Rome or Mr. Ford finds out who you are?" Without any hesitation, she drew a deep breath and said, "No, I''m not." "Good, because I need you to pull this off without drawing attention to yourself if we are topletely drag Rome Ford to the dust and crush Dear old Ryan Ford''s poor heart and spirit since death is a more tolerant punishment for his sin!" "I know, and don''t worry. I don''t n to mess things up as your little puppet ''Chloe'' did." "Oh, don''t underestimate her! she did way more damage than I expected from her. But now, it''s time to move on to my next pawn to keep Rome busy and give you the distraction you need to get things done." Chapter Fifty-Two Chapter Fifty-Two As Catherine reached for her toothbrush, she suddenly heard the bathroom door open, and she softly smiled at her reflection in the mirror. "Morning gorgeous," Rome seductively said as he stared at her adorably from the bathroom entrance. Giggling faintly, Catherine looked back at him, rolled her eyes, and then mumbled, "Gorgeous? I look like a mess." "But, a very stunning hot mess." Rome teased, winking at her. Even though Catherine tried to look mad, she couldn''t helpughing hard. Then she slightly shook her head and looked back at the mirror. Walking away from the door, Rome''s approached Catherine, held her from the back as both his hands rested on her stomach, and whispered, "What''s your n for today?" "Aahh, work. I have a bunch of meetings to attend." Catherine mumbled before brushing her teeth. With warmth in his gaze, Rome gently rested his chin on her shoulder, staring at her reflection in the mirror, and then said, "So can we go on a date today? It''s been a while since we have done something like that." Although her schedule was tight for the day, Catherine smiled as her eyes lit up and mumbled, "Mmhmm, yes. When?" "I have to go to the casino to look at the evidence Brook and ze gathered, and then I have a meeting with Mr. Jackson¡­ You know what, give me your time, and I will make it work." Rome heartily uttered. Realizing that he too was running on a tight schedule, Catherine gave a faint smile and said, "How about eight?" "Eight sounds perfect!" Rome said, feeling relief about the time she chose. Then he held Catherine by her waist, slowly turned her around, and took the toothbrush out of her hand. "Hey! I''m not done with that yet." Catherine said, gazing into his eyes. "Oh really? Are you sure?" Rome softly uttered. Feeling a bit excited, she lowered her gaze on his lip as Rome slowly leaned forward. Then he suddenly imed her mouth, kissing her gently. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ''I''m going to be sote for work,'' Catherine thought when Rome lifted her off the tiles, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, holding onto his neck tightly. Slowly running her fingers through Rome''s hair as he carried her out of the bathroom, Catherine shut her eyelids and gave in to the feeling of arousal she felt from the sound of his breath and his smell. Within a couple of minutes, she lost track of her heartbeat, the instant she felt her body hit the bed and his weight above her with their bare skin touching. ''A littleteness wouldn''t hurt. After all, I''m the boss.'' Catherine thought, wing her fingers into the bedsheet. At eleven o''clock, Rome walked into the upstairs room at the casino with K and Scar behind him and then took a seat beside his father. "You arete." Mr. Ford calmly uttered, gazing at him. "Am I?" Rome mumbled, staring at his watch. "Well, look at that. I''m actuallyte. I must have overslept." For a moment, Mr. Ford stared at him in disbelief. Then he faced Brook and said, "Your boss is here now. Are you willing to talk?" "Yes," Brook humbly replied. Keeping his gaze fixed on Rome, he approached the table, rested a folder on it, and said, "These are photos ze and I gathered from surveince cameras from the street and the security cameras at Hotel za. Also, there is a hard drive there with more evidence on it." After picking up the folder, Rome opened it, and immediately, his eyes grew cold, and his face hardened. "Brook, who is this?" Rome asked, showing the picture to him. "That''s the guy that the hotel za housekeeper said paid her to let Chloe into your suite," Brook said, taking a closer look at the guy in the photo wearing a cap and ck hoodie. "What?" "ording to her, he imed to be an independent detective that your wife hired to ch¡­" "Wait, my wife?" "Well, he portrayed Chloe as your wife to her and said that Chloe wanted to catch you cheating right- handed, and that''s why she needed ess to your room." A heavy sigh escaped Rome''s lip as he rubbed his brows and then mumbled, "So she allowed some random woman into my room, iming to be my wife without knowing anything about me, and even worse, she epted money to do it!" "Yes. But we took care of that, and the housekeeper doesn''t work for the hotel anymore. The manager fired her." Brook hastily said when he saw anger spiked in Rome''s eyes. It fell silent for a moment. Then Rome subconsciously remembered what caught his attention the first time he looked at the picture. "K, who does this person remind you of?" Rome asked, swaying the picture towards him. At first, K frowned at the photo, striving to understand what his boss meant. But after a couple of seconds, his eyes widened, and he shouted, "The dude that walked past us the night Chloe created that awful scene in the hotel lobby!" "Exactly my thought. He was in the hotel that night, and my guess is he was the one who edited the video and released it on the!" Rome firmly said in annoyance. "Judging from his appearance, he is just a hired man. So the big question is, who gave him the orders?" Mr. Ford casually said, staring at the phone. After a few seconds went by in silence, ze suddenly blurted out, "The vehicle!" "What vehicle?" Rome asked, looking up at him. "Right. He got into a ck Chevrolet Camaro, spent a couple of minutes in it, and then got out!" Brook announced, suddenly feeling like he had the puzzle pieces figured out. Looking at Rome, he stretched out his hands towards him and asked, "May I?" Without hesitating, Rome handed the folder to Brook, and he went through it for a second and then said, "Ahhaa!" Resting a photo of a ck Chevrolet Camaro on the table, he smiled. "That same car had been at the hotel around the exact time Mr. Jackson arrived at the hotel!" Brook said, dropping a photo of Mr. Jackson, standing a few distances away from the hotel door with his gaze on his phone. "Whoever was in that ck Chevrolet Camaro had been watching you, boss," ze said, staring at Brook, cing a couple of photos on the table. "And he''s also been following you. Notice in these photos that the moment our cars drove off, the ck Chevrolet Camaro did too." Brook hastily uttered, barely able to contain his excitement. Frowning at all the photos, Mr. Ford wondered in his head for a couple of seconds and then said, "Whoever is in that car is our culprit." "The only problem is, they didn''t leave the car, not once, and the vehicle has tinted windows," Brook said, suddenly, losing the sparkle in his eyes. For a moment, Rome tapped his fingertips on the table, sinking deeper into his head as he focused on his thoughts. Then he suddenly stopped and said, "The puppets'' master was in Archend. And if they could go that length to keep watch over me¡­" Hesitating for a second, Rome looked at his father, scowled, and then said, "He or she is here, and way closer than we anticipated." Then he looked back at Brook and firmly uttered, "Run that te and find out everything about its owner." "Do you think the guy who put Earl in aa could be this fellow in the picture?" Scar asked, withdrawing from the wall. "That''s a theory that makes sense. So, cross the image we got from the hospital with these and see if there''s a simrity." Rome said, ncing at Scar. Afterward, he focused on his father and said, "Even though this punk is being careful, with all the crumbs they are leaving behind, we are bound to find out something useful. I can feel it!" Chapter Fifty Three Chapter Fifty Three For a moment, Mr. Ford studied the look of excitement on Rome''s face. Then he sighed and asked, "K, how was your investigation at the store Rome''s purchase his clothes? You never reported back to me." "I didn''t report back because what I got wasn''t useful. Boss was the only one to buy that hoodie, cap, and mask. Other than him, no one else made the same purchase with the exact order. I''m sorry." K exined with his gaze focused on the tiles. Without replying, Mr. Ford looked at Scar and asked, "Have you found out how news about my son was getting linked out to the media?" "Sorry to say, but no, big boss. I''m still digging into it." Scar humbly uttered without meeting Mr. Ford''s gaze. Swaying his eyes off Scar, Mr. Ford looked to his left and said, "How about you, Brook? What''s new information have you discovered from the hospital CCTV cameras?" "Nothing. It''s like he vanished after walking out of the hospital." Brook mumbled, lowering his head. "Or maybe, he was smart enough to avoid the cameras outside." "That may be true." After gazing at Brook for a second with calmness in his eyes, Mr. Ford looked at Brook and said, "How about you? Did the hospital staff have anything useful to say?" "Sorry, big boss. No, they didn''t." ze uttered with a straight face, even though he felt disappointed within himself. Finally realizing what was going on, Rome looked at his father, slightly frowned, and said, "You don''t believe that these new clues would be of any use to us?!" Even though Mr. Ford knew that what he was about to say was going to be frowned upon, and yet he understood that he had to say it. So he looked directly into Rome''s eyes and said, "It likely might not." "Seriously," Rome firmly uttered. "Yes. Whoever this person is, they are not stupid, and I believe that they are leaving useless bread Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. crumbs to keep us distracted." "Distracted from what, Dad!?" It fell silent when Mr. Ford noticed that Rome was getting frustrated. Then he sighed and said, "I don''t know. But too much has happened in such a short period, and something isn''t just adding up." "I get what you mean, dad. But I''m fighting in a dark room here, and if these pieces of new evidence can bring in some light, then it''s worth following their leads. Don''t you think so?" "You are right. Yeah, it is." Mr. Ford said, giving a brief smile. For a moment, Rome remained silent as he gazed at his father, puzzling over the words he had said. Then his ringtone suddenly snapped him out of his head, and he hastily reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. After answering the call, he swayed his gaze to Mr. Ford and said, "Good afternoon, Mr. Jackson." "I''m in the country and will be at our designated meet-up spot within two hours." Mr. Jackson calmly uttered from the other end of the call. "Thanks for informing me." "It''s my pleasure. See you in two, Mr. Ford." After ending the call with Mr. Jackson, Rome looked back at his father and said, "I got to get to the office. Do you want to tag along?" "Thanks for the offer, but I have other ns." Mr. Ford said, smiling when Rome frowned at him. Then heughed when Rome raised a brow with a doubtful look in his eyes and mumbled, "I''m just hanging out with the boys, that''s all. Nothing bad." "So you are not going to get my men to work behind my back and keep me in the dark?!" Rome asked, throwing ze and Brook a hard stare. Immediately, they both gazed in the opposite direction, coughing faintly. "Of course not." Mr. Ford said with an innocent expression. But Rome wasn''t buying his act for a second. Yet, he woke from the couch, took a long look at his father before walking away. Instantly, K followed after him, and Brook, Scar, and ze were right behind him. "Rome!" Mr. Ford called out. Immediately, everyone stopped at the door. Then Rome let go of the knob and turned around. "Be safe out there." Mr. Ford said with a touch of worry in his eyes. "I can''t promise that, but I will try," Rome said, giving a faint smile. A couple of minutester, Rome arrived outside with K and the others. Then he stopped at his car door and said, "Brook, Don''t forget to check out the ck Chevrolet Cacamo te, ke, do so digging into the source that released Chloe''s video on the Inte, and Scar, do that cross-examination with both photos. Got it?" "Got it, boss." Brook, along with Scar, and ze said in unison. Subconsciously Mr. Ford''s words suddenly crossed Rome''s mind, and a sigh escaped his lips as he hesitated for a moment. Then he firmly uttered, "My father could be right, but we have to give it our all. You guys got this!" "Yes, boss. We won''t let you down!" Brook, Scar, and ze said in unison. At three on the dot, Rome was seated in his office. Then Braden suddenly walked inside and stared at him. "What is it?" Rome asked without removing his gaze off the paper before him. "Mr. Jackson is here," Braden said, shutting the door behind him. Pausing, Rome looked at his secretary. Then he dropped his pen and said, "Let him in." "Yes, boss." Braden calmly uttered. Then he left the room, and after a couple of minutes, he returned to the office with a Mr. Jackson before finally heading back to his desk. "Please have a seat," Rome said, showing his hand to the seat ahead of him. Unable to stop smiling, Mr. Jackson approached the chair, sat down, and then said, "It''s nice to meet you, finally." At that moment, he and Rome locked eyes, and he hastily lowered his head and said, "To be honest, I never really knew how powerful you were until I received that message from that unknown know and then did my research on you." Hesitating for a moment, Mr. Jackson lifted his gaze and said, "That''s one of the reasons I decided to listen to instructions of the messages, even though I didn''t know who was sending them because I felt intimidated." "That''s a valid exnation," Rome mumbled, keeping his eyes fixed on him. "So the number that texted you. Is it still going through?" "Mmm, I''m not sure because I stopped texting after you agreed to meet me." "Find the number in your phone." "Oh, ok-kay" Even though he felt a bit confused, Mr. Jackson scrolled through his contact and then stopped at a number saved as "Unknown." Then he looked back at Rome and said, "I have found it." "Hand your phone over, please." Rome gently uttered. The was a brief pause as Mr. Jackson stared at Rome and then at his phone before gazing back at the number on his screen. "Will that be a problem, Mr. Jackson?" Rome asked, looking at him with a doubtful gaze. Chapter Fifty-Four Chapter Fifty-Four The office was awfully quiet as Rome looked at Mr. Jackson. Then his eyes became cold and his mood shifted from calm to dominant as he asked, "Is there something you are not telling me?" "Of course not! I was just wondering why you are so invested in the person that has been texting me" Mr. Jackson asked in confusion. Maintaining eye contact with him, Rome rested back in his seat and said, ¡°I say this most respectfully, ''It''s none of your business. So are you going to give me the phone or not?" "I see, Mr. Ford doesn''t trust me that''s why you wouldn''t be clear with me." Staring intensely at Mr. Jackson, Rome stayedposed and silent, knowing fully well that truth was something he couldn''t afford to give a stranger, especially with his current situation. ¡°I know your phone is also your privacy and I have no business essing it. So, can you write the number on a sheet instead?" Rome calmly uttered, finally realizing what the issue was. ¡°Mr. Ford is a wise young man,¡± Mr. Jackson said with a smile as he reached for the pen on the desk. Then he took his time and wrote thirteen digits on a piece of paper and ced it in front of Rome. For a moment, he gazed at Mr. Jackson, and afterward, he looked down at the paper for a couple of seconds before picking up his phone. After inputting the number, Rome dialed it and rested his phone against his ear, waiting patiently for a response. The call suddenly got canceled, and he looked at the screen, second-guessing if he should call it again or send the number to Scar to get his team to trace it since it was going through. Finally deciding that he was going to send it to Scar, Rome was about to text him, when a message appeared on his screen, "It is extremely unpleasant to hear your voice that''s why I didn''t answer your call. But whatever you have to say to me, text it now because this number bes unavable in ten minutes, or less if you try to trace it." While Rome was still trying to process how the person knew his number, he got another message, "Oh, and say ''hi'' to Jackson for me." "Who are you!?" Rome wrote back, frowning at his phone screen. "Nine minutes! You are wasting precious time by asking a useless question!" "Why are youing after me!? What did are do to you?!" "I will help you since you are dumb at asking the right questions! You should be inquiring about what your father has done to me to make mee after you!" Even though Rome didn''t show it, he felt like he was about to burst from the frustration and feeling of curiosity that was crowding his heart and mind. "Okay! What did my father do to you then!?" Rome texted, waiting impatiently for a response. A couple of seconds went by before he got one, "A very bad thing that makes me despise him with everything in my bones!" "I might not know what you have been through or the offense that my father has done to you, but we can talk about it. How about we set up a meeting? Just you and me?" "Nah! I really like the ns that I have in motion, and I want to see it through, especially since it ends with your father''s coldblooded heart getting broken into pieces." It took Rome quite a length of time to get the intense anger he felt under control as he stared at his inbox. Then he took a deep breath and wrote back, "I really want to amend whatever he has done, so please consider my suggestion for a meet-up." Covering his face with the palm of his hand, Rome drew a deep breath. Then when he heard his phone buzz, he hastily stared at his screen, "Your time is up. But it was a pleasure talking to you, knowing that it will ruin your day and make you restless." "Come on. I''m sure we can work something out." Rome wrote in his inbox. But after he pressed send, it took only a couple of seconds for his message to bounce back. "He deactivated the number," Rome mumbled in frustration, tightening his grip on his phone. "Are you okay, Mr. Ford?" Mr. Jackson asked, looking at Rome with a look of concern in his eyes. For a moment, Rome kept silent, striving to get his emotions under control. Then he looked up at him, smiled, and said, "Yes," "Soo¡­ Is it okay for us to talk about business?" Mr. Jackson humbly asked. "Of course," Rome said, gently resting his phone on the desk. A look of shock crossed Nora''s face when she saw Catherine walk into the kitchen and smile at her. "Ma''am, you are home," Nora happily cried. Then she dried her hand on her apron and mumbled, "Are you hungry?" "Actually, yes, a bit." Catherine softly uttered. "Okay. Go wait in the dining room, and I will have your meal delivered to you soon." "You know what, there is no need to trouble yourself. My husband is taking me out on a date. It''s Six- thirty already, so I should be getting ready." Grinning brightly at Catherine, Nora nodded and mumbled, "Okay, ma''am. Have a lovely time with boss then." After giving Nora a quick smile, Catherine walked out of the kitchen and went upstairs, heading straight for their room. The moment she got into the bedroom, Catherine dropped her bag on the floor and took off her shoe. Then she unbuttoned s her shirt and took out her skirt before speeding to the bathroom, leaving all her items on the floor. A couple of minutester, she returned to the room, gazed at the time on the wall clock, and cried, "Seven already! Come on!! Okay, don''t freak out. You still have time!" In a rush, she picked up her dress and put it on, reaching down to the zip before struggling to pull it up. Once Catherine finished zipping her gown, she went in front of the dresser and pulled the drawer open, mumbling to herself, "Where''s my jewel box and my makeup bag!" Twenty minutester, Catherine stood before the mirror with her eyes full of admiration for her reflection. Then she picked her phone off the dresser and texted Rome, "Guess what I''m wearing?" Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. The car was quite silent as Mr. Ondo drove, and even though he kept checking the mirror to look at Rome, he said nothing. When his phone suddenly buzzed, Rome looked away from the windshield and stared at its screen. A soft smile crept on his lip as he stared at Catherine''s message. Then Rome was about to text back when he suddenly felt a sharp pain rip through his spine as a truck ran into the car from the side door. The phone immediately dropped out of his hands as the vehicle lifted in the air and then rolled over. Chapter Fifty-Five Chapter Fifty-Five The street grew noisy with mumbling and cries of various people that had watched the ident. "Should we call the police?" A guy asked his friend. "Shouldn''t we be calling the ambnce instead!" His friendshed out at him. The noise seem to get louder as more people arrived on the scene. "Oh my! Has someone called the ambnce and a tow truck! Is anyone here a doctor!¡± Ady screamed. ¡°I called the ambnce, and they are on their way.¡± An elderlydy shouted, clutching her blouse as she stared at the car. " I''m on the phone with a tow truck driver!" A fellow calmly uttered. Suddenly, the front door of the vehicle opened, and a couple of secondster, K got out of the car. Then he stared at everyone, looking at him with confusion in his eyes, and then after a few minutes, a thought crossed his mind, and he rushed to the back door. " Boss! Boss! Are you okay?" K shouted, trying to yank the smashed door open. Slowly raising hisshes, Rome let out a soft groan. Then he rested his head back and mumbled, "I''m fine, I think." "Oh, thank God!!" K cried, resting his hands on his hip as tears settled in his eyes. Swaying his gaze to the back of the driver''s seat, Rome hastily called out, "Ondo, you good?!" It was silent for a while, and Rome felt his heart sink as he patiently waited for an answer. Then a minuteter, Rome shouted, "Ondo!" "Yes, boss." Mr. Ondo mumbled, sniffing softly. "I''m so d you are okay." A sigh of relief escaped Rome''s lips. Then he looked at the broken windshield and loudly uttered, "K, is the driver of the truck still there!?" A frown surfaced on K''s face and his eyes grew cold when he stared at the truck and noticed the driver anxiously gazing back at him. A whileter, the ambnce finally arrived on the scene, and a couple of seconds afterward, the tow truck showed up and parked a few distances behind Rome''s car. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Knowing that he couldn''t stay in his truck any longer, the driver got down from the vehicle, and the moment he mmed the door shut, K rushed to him, viciously banging him against the truck while ignoring his aching body. "You fool, didn''t you see that the lights were already green for our lean and red for yours!" K shouted in his face. "If Ondo wasn''t smart and quick enough to drive ahead, making your truck run into the backside, do you know what your reckless driving was going to do!" After the EMTs got down from the ambnce, they rushed over to the vehicle, and then immediately stopped in their tracks. Realizing that no one was in the car, they looked at K and the truck driver with a look of confusion on their faces. "Who are those that were involved in an ident!?" One of the EMTs workers finally shouted. "That would be me and my men," Rome said, approaching them with Mr. Ondo by his side. "Mr. Ford! Are you really hurt?" "Yep. I know we might look fine, but my body is killing me. I think I need a painkiller. The strong one." With a look of admiration in his eyes, the tow truck driver gazed at the car and proudly uttered, "Aha, Lamborghini. This SUV is one of the safest vehicles that I know of, and this one looks so freaking cool and crazy expensive!" Looking at the truck driver with an emotionless face, Rome met his gaze and said, "It is crazy- expensive. It''s worth a few million bucks, and you just ran your truck into it! Why is that?" "I''m sorry! I''m sorry! I have been driving for a long time and I felt a bit sleepy. I was going home before I bumped into your car. Please, sir, believe me, I am truly sorry!" The truck driver said, nervously staring at Rome. For a moment, Rome said nothing as he studied the driver''s face. Then he smirked and said, "K, let the man be." "Thank you! Thank you, sir!" The truck shouted happily. Even though he wanted to follow orders, K couldn''t help holding the driver hostage against his truck for a couple of minutes before slowly releasing his grips off his shirt. After K stepped aside, Rome kept his calm gaze on the driver and said, "You must be hurt. You should With a touch of fear in his eyes, the driver faintlyughed, scratching his neck, and then mumbled, "No, thank you, sir. I am fine." "It was not a request," Rome casually said as his eyes grew cold. A look of confusion crossed K''s face as he stared at his boss, wondering what was going on in his head. When he and Rome''s gaze locked, he knew not to ask any questions at that moment, so he stared at the driver, hardening his face. Knowing that there was nothing he could do other than follow orders, the driver walked away from the truck with K following closely behind him. With a gentle smile on his face, Rome stared at the EMTdy and said, "Shall we?" "Huh!?" She blurted out before pulling herself together and calmly uttering, "Of course." A couple of minutester, Rome, K, Mr. Ondo was in the back of the ambnce with the truck driver and the EMTs, and the atmosphere in the car was awkward. After a few minutes of silence, Rome fixed his icy gaze on the driver and said, "Don''t you want to get in touch with your insurancepany?" "Huh?!" The driver blurted out as his eyes widened. "You wreck my car, so you should take the responsibility to fix it!" "Yes! Of course." Silence fell between them for while as the driver continued to stare at Rome. Then he heavily sighed and mumbled, "Sir, to be honest, I don''t have money to pay for such a car. I''m just a struggling driver, striving to make his ends meet." "I know you are underprivileged." Rome calmly uttered. "But whoever paid you to kill me must be loaded, so, in a sense, you have money to repair my car." Without hesitating, the driver loudly cried, "Sir, I swear that what happened was an ident." Then he hastily reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and said, "You want me to call my insurancepany, I will call them. But I swear that they will be of no help to this situation." Without losing his calm expression, Rome intensely stared at the driver. Then his gaze subconsciously rested on the phone in his hand and a thought clicked to his mind and he immediately mumbled, "Catherine! Shit! I left my phone back in the car!" After listening to Rome''s number ring for a couple of seconds and then go off for the twentieth time, Catherine dropped her phone on the dresser. Then with trembling hands, she started wiping the makeup off her face, fighting the urge to cry. But even though she was striving her best not to show the tears that she was hiding behind her calm eyes, she couldn''t restrain the hopelessness that squeezed her heart. With all her might she was hoping so desperately that something bad had not happened to Rome, and yet, the thought that he was fine and not answering broke her more than she wanted to admit. Suddenly, her phone started buzzing on the dresser, and when Catherine looked at its screen and realized that K was calling her, she held back her breath as tears rolled from the corners of her eyes. With a mixture of pain and hesitation in her gaze, Catherine answered the call and said, "Hey K," "Babe," Rome said, pausing when he realized from her voice that she was crying. "Rome?" "Yes, it''s me!" "Are you okay?" Keeping silent, Rome tightened his fist, deciding on his next words to say. Then he took in a deep breath and said, "Yes. Ther..." Without giving it a second thought, Catherine ended the call, turned around, and threw her phone on the mattress. Then she rested her head on the dresser, crying her eyes out as a sense of relief and anger overcame her. Clutching his jaw, Rome stared at the floor and thought, ''And I have broken another promise again. Damn it!'' "Boss, is everything okay?" K asked, noticing how tightly Rome was squeezing his phone. Ignoring K''s question, Rome fixed his eyes on the truck driver, met his nervous gaze, and said, "For your sake, I hope this was simply an ident!" ''What have I gotten myself into,'' The truck driver cried out in his head, lowering his gaze. Chapter Fifty-Six Chapter Fifty-Six ¡°Knock, knock¡­¡± K called out as he stood at the room door with Mr. Ondo by his side. For a moment, Rome nkly gazed at the wall. Then he slowly turned his head and stared at the two of them. After shutting the door behind him, Mr. Ondo followed K further into the room and then they both pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down. ¡°How are you doing now?¡± K asked, still feeling concerned because, among the three of them, Rome was the one who took the hit. ¡°I''m fine. It''s nothing that a few painkillers can not fix. How about you two?" Rome calmly uttered. "We are okay. The doctor cleared us." "Good, now, back to business, since Scar and the others are busy, I want you to call ''Mike,'' and tell him that I need every tiniest bit of information on the truck driver." Hesitating for a moment, K took a long look at Rome and then asked, "Do you think that the puppets'' master behind the ident?" "No. We talked today, and he seemed to have this whole n that he wants to execute to take me down, so I don''t think this is his work." Rome uttered without a doubt in his mind. "But then, who would want to kill you?" "How about you stop asking questions that I can''t possibly answer, call Mike, and then we can find things out together, okay!?" Without wasting a second, K pulled out his phone from his pocket and said, "Yes, boss! I will do it right now!" At sharp eleven on the dot, the truck driver took his gaze off the wall clock when he heard the room door open. Then he remained still on the hospital bed, staring at the doorway with fear in his every gaze as he watched Rome, K, Mr. Ondo, and a few men in ck suits entering the room. ''They have multiplied. I''m fuck!'' He anxiously thought. ''Calm down, Ricky! He''s Rome Ford! There''s no way he will kill me. But that other fool will within a heartbeat!'' After thest guy mmed the door shut, Ricky felt his heart miss its rhythm, and he hastily said with a friendly smile, "How did you guys check up when? Is everything okay? They didn''t find out anything wrong with you guys'' bodies, right?" "Well, my spine still feels like someone hit a baseball bat into it. But that''s not what we are here to talk Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. about, Ricky." Rome calmly uttered, dragging a chair toward the hospital bed. Then he stopped, turned the chair around, ced his legs on both sides of the chair, and sat down, using the back of the chair as an armrest. cing his chin on his fist, Rome smiled stiffly at the driver, seeing the look of confusion on his face, and said, "Now, Ricky, are you wondering how I figured out your name?" When Ricky didn''t answer, Rome''s expression remained the same, and he continued, "I''m extremely good at finding out what I want to know and trust me, I go to great, or bad lengths to get it. So how about we don''t waste each other''s time and tell me the truth, hmm?" Dressing back on the bed as his eyes darted from left to right, Ricky swallowed hard and mumbled, "I rea-lly di-d me-an to hit you gu-ys?" "Is that right, Ricky Perry?" Rome coldly uttered, losing his smirk. "You see the problem is I don''t believe you because every car stopped, and you did for a minute but sped off toward us the moment you saw our car! So, should we start this over?" When Ricky didn''t answer, Rome''s eyes darkened as he coldly uttered, "How''s little Jennifer Perry doing? Is she performing well in ''Shining star institution?" "You don''t understand?" Ricky shouted as raw fear spiked in his eyes when he heard his daughter''s name. "Make me understand then!" Rome casually uttered, keeping his gaze on Ricky''s nervous eyes. "He will kill me!" "Who will?" Silent fell between them as a look of hesitation clouded Ricky''s expression. Swaying his gaze to K, Rome hardened his face and said, "Where does Mr. Perry live again with little Jennifer, Mrs. Susan Perry, and his mother, L?" "Rio street, house number forty. It''s three hours drive from here and one hour drive from the Livelihood clinic where Mrs. Perry works at." K hastily said. Thank you." Rome said, looking back at Ricky. "My mind can get quite forgetful sometimes. And it can forget about the ident and you right now if youe clean and don''t push my button because I am already pissed." "It was the boss of XS club, Big Daddy! He said that you owe him your life for shutting down his club!" Ricky cried out with tears in his eyes. Keeping silent, Rome looked at K and Mr. Ondo. Then he stood from the chair and walked away. When he reached the door, he looked back and said, "You are paying for the repair of my car. After all, the money you got is mine since it was payment for my death!" Then he looked at K and said, "Get Jennifer, Susan, and Miss L out of that house¡­" "Don''t hurt my family! What I said is really the truth! Big Daddy wants you dead! Please, if you want, hurt me instead! I was the one who epted the money and did the job! My family is innocent!" Ricky shouted with tears running down his face. Looking back at Ricky, crying his eyes out, Rome frowned and said, "I''m a lot of things, but a murderer is not one of them!" After Ricky stopped crying and met his gaze, Rome rolled his eyes, looked back at K, and said, "As I was saying, get them out of the house and take them somewhere safe." "Mr. Ford is actually a saint!" Ricky suddenly cried, sniffing heavily. ncing at Ricky with a stiff expression, Rome coldly uttered, "A saint is also not on the list." Then he looked at his men and said, "Luke, make sure his ass is in a police cell tonight!" "Yes, boss!" Luke said, ring at Rick. A few moments after Rome had left the room with K and Mr. Ondo, leaving Ricky in Luke''s care, Rome sighed and said, "Ricky being in police custody will be safer for him. Whoever this so-called ''Big Daddy'' is, he seems like someone who keeps his word." "What are we going to do about him?" K asked, looking at Rome. "I mean, big Daddy," "Clean him off the street since he seems like a nuisance to society." Rome coldly said. "But not tonight. I have to get to my wife before she tosses my things out of the house or worse." Then a look of stress clouded his face as he looked at K and nervously asked, "I should carry a peace offering, right?... Right! I should!" ''And this is why we all fear ma''am more than you.'' K thought, smiling faintly. Chapter Fifty-Seven Chapter Fifty-Seven It was already one o''clock when Rome got home, and when he entered their room, the empty mattress made a frown surfaced on his face. Then he threw the bag of medicine on the bed, gently rested another stic bag on the sheets, and shouted, "Babe, are you in the bathroom!" When he got silence as an answer, he headed into the bathroom, and then heavily sighed when he realized Catherine wasn''t there. After returning to the bedroom, he finally noticed her heels and gown on the floor and her makeup bag and jewelry box on the dresser. The only thought that crossed his mind in that instant was how heartbroken she must have been when she was undressing. Then he snapped out of his head, left the room, and stepped into the hallway. "Why did I get a house with so many freaking bedrooms!" Rome mumbled, frowning at the long hallway. Then he took a deep breath and shouted, "Catherine, I''m sorry for missing our date! The truth is, we got into an ident!" Within a matter of seconds, the fifth bedroom door suddenly opened, and Catherine rushed out into the hallway and then stopped in her tracks as she gazed into his eyes with an expression of sad confusion on her face. "We got hit by a truck. Thankfully, I don''t act cheap when ites to buying cars, so I got away with This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. just a body ache." Rome said, smiling at her. Immediately, Catherine feltyers of unsettling emotion, and she froze, unable to speak because her words got strangled in her throat as her eyes misted over. Then her knees suddenly felt weak beneath her, and she squatted, resting her forehead on her kneecap as tears rushed from her eyes. "I''m really fine," Rome uttered with a sad smile. Raising her head, Catherine looked at him, and he watched her eyes widen and rim with tears. "I''m sorry for hanging off on you. I''m so sorry." Catherine cried, her voice thick with tears. "I know." Rome softly uttered. "Come here," Striving to get a grip on her emotions, Catherine stood up, walked over to him, and didn''t hesitate to rush into Rome''s arms when he spread them open. "Are you okay," Catherine whispered as she clutched onto his shirt. Smiling, Rome gently caressed the back of her hair and mumbled, "Mm, yes." "What caused the ident?" Catherine whispered, looking up at his face. Knowing that telling her that he had someone else out there who was now after his life was going to freak her out, Rome gave a faint smile and said, "A drunk driver." Then he withdrew his hands from around her, entangled his fingers with hers, and said, "Close your eyes." "Huh?!" Catherine mumbled beneath her breath, pouting with a look of confusion on her face. "I got a surprise for you, so close your eyes." "Okay," Even though Catherine was still freaking out about the ident news, a soft smile crept on her lips as she shut her eyes. Then she obediently followed closely behind Rome as he led her to their bedroom. When they reached the bed, Rome stopped, looked at her face, and said, "You can open them now." Slowly raising hershes, Catherine couldn''t help but smile. Then she stared at Rome for a moment before looking down at the bag on the bed. "You went to the food truck!" Catherine cried, feeling tears welling in her eyes again. "Yes! I didn''t expect him to be there sote. But he was, and he was happy to hook me up with all your favorites. So is it still okay to have a date night, even though it''s in our bedroom?" Rome uttered, looking deep into her eyes. Not knowing the exact words to express her emotions, Catherine happily nodded without breaking eye contact with him. "Great! I will freshen up quickly and then we can devour these junk food over season three of ''A million little things!" Rome heartily said. Then he gave her a quick kiss on her jaw before heading towards the bathroom. "Hmm, sounds like the perfect date already." Catherine softly called out as she watched him head into the bathroom. After Catherine heard the shower turned on, she softly giggled, swaying her gaze to the bed. Then her sight rested on the medicine bag, and she immediately lost the happiness in her eyes. Without hesitating, she picked it up and then dumped everything on the sheets. "These are some strong stuff," Catherine mumbled, looking at thebel on each bottle. Lost in her thoughts and emotions, she stood still, staring intensely at the pills with so much going on in her thoughts. Then she suddenly snapped out of her head when Rome hugged her from the back, resting his chin on her head. "A penny for your thoughts?" He mumbled as he felt her soft palms rested on the back of his hands. "You are okay, right?" Catherine mumbled with traces of tears on her face. "I promise that I am. Those are just to help with the little aches in my body." "Morphine is not for slight pain." "Okay, maybe the pain is a bit severe. But, I''m only going to be taking these for two days. That shows that I''m going to be just fine." A momentter, Catherine and Rome were in bed with their attention on the TV, but every now and then, she would nce at him, unable to suppress the worry that held her heart hostage. When Rome felt her eyes on him, he stared away from the movie, focused his gaze on Catherine''s face, and asked, "What is it?" "The driver was drunk and it was just an ident, right?" Catherine asked, gazing solely into his eyes. "Yes." "Where is the driver now?" "In prison," "Hmm," Swaying her gaze back to the tv, Catherine shoved two French fries in her mouth, feeling angry because she could tell from his expression that he was keeping something from her. ¡°You got ketchup on your lip,¡± Rome mumbled with his eyes focused on her mouth. Not giving Catherine the chance to wipe it off, Rome leaned towards her, resting his lips on hers, and her eyes widened as she gazed at him. ''What are you distracting me from?'' Catherine thought as she slowly kissed him, shutting her eyes. At that moment, Rome''s phone interrupted them, causing Catherine to pull back and open her eyes. After Rome picked up his phone and saw that it was K calling, he cleared his throat before answering the call. "Boss, Ricky''s home is up in me as we speak. The man that I left to spy on his house just reported back to me that a group of thugs threw bottles that were on fire into the ce. It looks like Big Daddy found out that you are not dead." K said from the other end of the call. Without looking away from Catherine, Rome calmly asked, "Did you do what I told you to do?" It got quiet on the line for a moment, then K''s voice echoed into Rome''s ear, "Yeah, his family is safe. But you are not, boss!" "I know. You know what to do right?" "Should we start finding out Big Daddy''s location?" "Yes," "Okay. I will inform the others." After ending the call with K, Rome gazed back at the TV, pretending as though he didn''t see the frown on Catherine''s face. But that didn''t stop her from asking, "Is everything okay?" "Yes, everything is good," Rome said, suppressing the feeling of worry that crowded his heart as he focused back on the show. Chapter Fifty-Eight Chapter Fifty-Eight When the bright light from the sun shone in his face, Rome immediately opened his eyes, staring at Catherine standing at the window. "Why is the sun so bright this early?" Rome moaned, shifting over to the other side of the bed. "Oh, it''s because it''s noon and not morning." Catherine casually uttered. Immediately Rome sat up, gazing at her in disbelief. Then he softly cried, "Babe what did you do?" "I turn off the rm and your phone so you can rest today, and judging from the time you woke up, I made the right decision," Catherine exined while watching his face change emotions with every word she uttered. Frustrated, Rome pushed the nket off him, buried his face into his palms, and mumbled, "Babe, babe babe, Ahhh, why would you do that?!" When he lifted his head to gaze at her, Catherine pouted and pitifully uttered, "I thought I just exined it to you." Staring at the innocent look on her face, Rome startedughing out his frustration. Then he got out of bed and walked over to the closet door. As he was about to open it, Catherine frowned and asked, "What are you doing?" "Trying to get a suit for work," Rome replied, stopping in his tracks. "But I have already cleared my schedule to spend the day with you." "Hmmm," Hesitating for a moment, Rome squeezed his eyes shut, drawing in a deep breath, and then turned around to gaze at her. "Okay. I guess we are both staying home today." Rome said, giving her a warm smile. "Yes!!! Okay, Nora already has some healthy meals prepared for you! Soo¡­ after you freshen up, you shoulde downstairs." Catherine calmly intoned as she returned a smile. Although Rome''s face looked calm on the outside, within, he was frustrated as he thought, ''How am I going to keep the news about ''Big Daddy,'' from her and go after him at the same time.'' A couple of minutes after having his meal, Rome returned to the room. Then he stopped in his tracks, staring in disbelief at Catherine in thefort of their bed, reading a book. When she felt his eyes on her, Catherine raised her gaze, looked at him, and casually said, "Your pills," Swaying his gaze to where she was pointing, Rome sighed as he stared at the ss of water next to the pill bottles on the table and whispered, "I feel like I''m ten years old right now." After taking his medicine, he looked back at Catherine with a look of excitement in his eyes and asked, "So what''s the n for today?" "Total rxation," Catherine calmly uttered, patting the space beside her without looking away from page forty-two of, "He was never mine." "Babe, you can''t be serious," "Is there anything better than spending some quality time with your lovely wife who is traumatized after learning that she almost lost youst night?" Without uttering any word, Rome walked over to the bed, crawled under the sheets, andid down. Not hesitating, Catherine rested her head on his chest and then swiped to a new page. "You got a pillow," Rome teased as he looked at the wording in the book. "It''s not warm or sexy like your chest," Catherine slyly whispered, changing her head position on Rome''s chest as she tried to find the mostfortable spot. Pushing her off him, Rome tried not tough as he said, ¡°Your head is too heavy, and it''s hurting my chest. Go back to your pillow!" With her brows clenched, Catherine yfully swung her book at him, hitting Rome in his face. "Ouch, do you want to ruin my face so no other woman can look at me again!" Rome teased, giggling at her pissed expression. "You prick!" Catherine shouted as she climbed above him, locking both his wrist in her grips with a frown on her face. "What! If one day you wake up and say you don''t want me anymore, I will need this face you know." "Well then, you don''t need it because I''m never, ever, divorcing you!" "Really?" "Really," A soft smile surfaced on Catherine''s lips when Rome grinned at her. Then she let go of his hands and ran her fingers through his hair as her face grew closer to his. When their noses were touching, Rome raised his head and lightly kissed her, causing Catherine to lose herself in his eyes. The way she stared at him with so much passion in her gaze, aroused Rome, and he kissed her again, deeply. Although Catherine wanted to tease him by pulling away from him, it only happened in her mind since her body was too vulnerable to do a thing. As she melted into his arms, Catherine''s fingers slid down Rome''s hair and slowly stroked against his neck as she shut her eyes, realizing that she was addicted to his touch, kiss, and most of all his love. Things escted within a couple of seconds, and the more Rome explored her body, she tried to catch her breath. But he was leaving her breathless from the way his hands smoothly caressed against her bare skin and the taste he left on her tongue. Switching her to the bottom, Rome pulled her in, iming her mouth again, and with every breath he inhaled, he felt drunk with passion because it smelled like Catherine, and it had him craving her even more. A lot of words were running about in Catherine''s head, but she said none because Rome had her weak to her core as his fingers explored her skin with a mind of their own. "You are mine forever, right?" Rome whispered into her ear. "Yes," Catherine mumbled beneath her breath. Then she shut her eyes and allowed her body to react to him instinctively as she gave in to the thrill of his every movement. Five o''clock met Catherine sleeping soundly in thefort of Rome''s arms. Slowly, he reached for his phone on the nightstand and then turned it on. The moment his phone finally came on, messages started popping up on the screen and they were all from K. Immediately, Rome clicked on it, and then read the recent one, "We got a location of where big Daddy would be tonight. What should we do, boss?" Without a second thought, Rome texted back, "Wait for me at the casino. I''m on my way." Afterward, he went to his contact, stopped on Mr. Ford''s number, and typed, "Dad, can youe and pick me up. I''m kind of under house arrest, and I need a very not jeopardizing excuse to leave. For example, you need me to meet some important clients." A couple of minutes after he sent the text, he received a message from Mr. Ford, "Catherine found out about the ident, and now, she have turned into a mama bear, right?" "Exactly," "Ahh, this brings back lovely memories of your mother. Okay, I''m on my way." By six o''clock, the doorbell echoed into the house, and when Nora opened the door, a look of shock crossed her face as she said, "Good afternoon, Sir." "A pleasant day to you, Nora. Is my son in?" Mr. Ford cunningly asked, giving her a brief smile. "Yes. Pleasee in. I will go get them." "Thank you." A knock on the room door made Catherine raise hershes. Then she stared at Rome''s sleeping face before carefully leaving his arm. After wearing her robe, she headed to the door, and when she opened it, Nora smiled at her and said, "Madam, your father-inw is here, and he''s asking if Sir is home." "Is that so. Okay, please tell him that we will be down in a few minutes." Catherine said, staring back at Rome. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Then she shut the door, walked over to him, and gently tapped his arm. A few minutester, a yawn escaped Rome''s lip as he faked a stretch and then dizzily looked at her. "Father is here, and he''s asking for you," Catherine said. "What is he doing here at such an hour," Rome mumbled, letting out another yawn. A whileter, the quietness in the living room got disturbed with sounds of footsteps, and Mr. Ford gazed at the doorway. Then he smiled when he saw Catherine, and his expression didn''t change a bit as he stared at Rome a secondter. After giving Catherine a quick hug, he looked at Rome and said, "How are you feeling now, son?" "I''m doing a bit better." Rome calmly uttered. "That''s good to hear. Well, are you okay enough to go to a business meeting with me? It will just be three guys with you and me talking about the Starling project." "Well¡­" For a moment, Rome stared at Catherine''s calm face and then mumbled, "Hmmm, yes." " Can Ie along too?" Catherine suddenly asked, and it immediately fell silent. Chapter Fifty-Nine Chapter Fifty-Nine Seeing the look of shock on Mr. Ford and Rome''s faces, Catherine burst intoughter, unable to stop herself even though she was trying to do so. Finally, when she calmed down, she looked at Mr. Ford, smiled, and said, "I am just kidding." Both men finally stopped holding in their breath and nervously giggled. But then she suddenly lost her smile and hardened her face as she asked, "It''s just a meeting and nothing dangerous, right?" "Yes," Mr. Ford calmly uttered, lowering his gaze as Catherine intensely stared at him with a hint of suspicion in her gaze. A couple of minutester, as he and Rome sat in the backseat of his vehicle, Mr. Ford looked at him and said, "You know going after this so-called Big Daddy is dangerous." "I know. But if I don''t go after him, he''s going toe for me. So I got to pick option one." Rome uttered with his sight glue to the windshield. "You got a n?" "I think." Staring at his son with a look of disbelief in his eyes, Mr. Ford kept silent for a moment and then mumbled, "So no n? Okay! We are off to an exciting start already." The sky had darkened a bit when Rome walked into a warehouse with K and four men behind him. ''It''s abandoned?'' Rome thought, stopping in his tracks with a frown on his face. "Boss, the ce is empty," Al said with his gaze fixed on Rome. "I can see that." With a look of confusion on his face, K looked at Rome and mumbled, "But the information that I received was solid. Big Daddy should be here tonight." Suddenly the sound of the bottoms of boots hitting against the floor drew Rome''s attention away from K, and he gazed ahead of him, hardening his face as he red at Joe. A sly smirk crept on Joe''s lips when his eyes locked with Rome''s icy gaze. Then when they were only a few feet away from Rome and the others, Joe stopped and so did his men. "You are not the kind of trash our boss likes to clean himself, so he sent us to finish the job that that stupid coward couldn''t handle!" Joe boldly uttered, tightening his grip around the knife in his hand. "So what I''m hearing from you is that your boss is a doormat who''s afraid to face me." Rome calmly said without taking his icy gaze of Joe. "And you guys voluntarily decided to take his whipping for him. What a bunch of idiots!" For a moment, the men red at Rome. Then one of them took a step forward and mockingly asked, ¡°Ain''t you the clown foring in here with only five men? Are you counting death?¡± "Death? Having you heard, the Grim Reaper refused me just so I can have the chance to kick your boss''s ass." Rome casually said, smirking with a mocking look in his eyes. Laughing faintly, the guy stared back at his pals and teasingly said, ¡°It looks like someone is missing a screw in his brain. What are you going to do with just five men against the thirty of us!¡± "Get rid of the stupidity that is blinding your thinking and count again!!" Rome calmly uttered when he heard the sound of footstepsing from behind him. "Mr... Mr... Mr¡­" Joe stuttered, taking a step back. Suddenly, one of his men mumbled, "It''s not thirty against six anymore. My guess is Mr. Ford and his men just stepped up Rome''s number to about twice or more than us!" "I can fucking see that!" "Okay, but we are surrendering, right? Because we have already lost." "Of course not!" Seeing the look of hesitation on his man''s face, Joe''s eyes darkened and he firmly said, "If any of you maggots are afraid to stay and fight, then leave. But you should know the price you are going to pay if you do!" After his remark, twenty of his men dropped their weapons and started hurrying out of the warehouse. "I rather take my chances with the boss than Mr. Ford," One of the guys shouted, running after the others which reduced the number to nine. "Should we be allowing them to leave?" Al asked, tightening his fist as he watched them hurry past him. "My fight is with Big Daddy. Only those who stand in my way to get to him will get hurt!" Rome loudly uttered, looking at the remaining eight men and Joe. Annoyed by Rome''s word, Mr. Ford clenched his jaw and thought, ''There goes our excitement for tonight!'' Within a matter of seconds, all eight men dropped their weapons, and as Joe watched them leave, he shouted, "Where the hell do you think you guys are going!?" "Somewhere that is far away from death!" One of the guys said, staring in fear at the guns in Mr. Ford''s men''s hands while he hurried past them. Realizing that he was the only one facing Rome, Joe hesitated for a moment before dropping his knife. Then he was about to walk past Rome when Rome grabbed his arm, and coldly uttered, "Where do you think you are going?!" Filled with hate, and yet, keeping a calm expression on his face, Joe looked into Rome''s eyes and said, "I thought you sai¡­" "You thought wrong." "What do you want from me!" "Your boss''s location!" A chuckle escaped Joe''s lips. Then he startedughing widely at Rome, making mocking expressions with his face. Looking calmly at Joe, Rome didn''t think for a second and viciously blow him in the nose. It instantly became quiet as blood dripped from Joe''s nostril, down his lip while he gazed dumbfoundedly at Rome All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The silence grew louder by the second as Joe wiped his nose and stared at the blood on the back of his hand. "Where is your boss?!" Rome casually asked, ignoring the anger in Joe''s eyes. "Go screw yourself!" Joe firmly said with a mocking smirk on his lip. For a moment, Rome said nothing as he gazed intensely at Joe. Then he scowled at him and calmly said, "If I don''t make you talk now, my dad will be the one to force the answer out of youter, so what is it going to be pal?" "Do you think working for Big Daddy is a child''s y for such a stupid threat to make me tremble in my boots!" Joe firmly said, and yet, the fear in his eyes gave him away. As Rome moved his lips to speak, the sudden sound of a ringtone echoed from Joe''s pocket, and the look of fear deepened in his gaze. "Hand the phone over," Rome said, noticing the trace of nervousness on his face. "No!" Joe uttered, slowly drawing his hands to the back of his pants. Knowing that asking for the second time would be a waste of words, Rome broke the space between Joe and him and tried to shove his hand into Joe''s pocket. But in that instant, Joe pulled out a pocket knife, slicing Rome in the arm before hastily locking him in a choke-hold with the knife to his neck. "If anyone takes a step closer to me, I will finish the job that my boss paid me to do," Joe shouted, pinpointing the tip of the knife against Rome''s esophagus. Then he looked directly into Mr. Ford''s calm gaze and boldly uttered, "You all are going to allow me to walk out of here with him! Any wrong move and I will cut him open!" Ignoring Joe''s words, Mr. Ford looked at Taylor and said, "Light him up!" In a matter of seconds, a bunch of redser lights was stuck on Joe''s head, and fear clouded his face when Mr. Ford made eye contact with him. "If I see a drop of blood on my son''s throat, I will put a hole in your skull!" Mr. Ford coldly uttered. "Think carefully, boy, because what you decide next will make you leave here alive or in a body bag!" Looking deeply into his father''s eyes, this was the first time Rome had seen him go this cold, and without a doubt, he knew that Mr. Ford wasn''t kidding about pulling the trigger. Chapter sixty Chapter sixty The dining room was quiet, and the silence annoyed Catherine, but she tried not to frown at the food in front of her. Then she suddenly got startled out of her thoughts when she heard footsteps in the room. After Catherine raised her gaze, she stared at one of their maids, gazing down at her. "What is it, Mini?" Catherine calmly asked. "Should I set up extra tes for sir?" "No. He''s at a business meeting, and I don''t think he will being home soon." "Oh," After a couple of minutes passed and Mini had not left, Catherine slightly frowned at her and asked, "Do you have anything else you want to say?" "No, ma''am!" Mini hastily intoned. Then she hurried out of the room, leaving Catherine alone once more. Not even giving it a second thought, Joe dropped the knife and stepped away from Rome, keeping his hands in the air with a smirk on his lips. But when he saw that theser beam was still pointed at him and Mr. Ford men had not lowered their guns, the smirk disappeared and a look of stress clouded his face. "I did what you ask...ed of me!" Joe stuttered, staring pleadingly at Mr. Ford. Then he swayed his gaze to Rome, giving him a pitiful stare. Frowning at Joe, Rome walked backward as he casually said, "I warned you. Now, the good cop is done, and you got the bad cop. You should have listened." After Rome and his men went to the back, Joe swallowed hard as he gazed at Mr. Ford with raw fear in his eyes. In that instant, Mr. Ford took a step toward him, and Joe wanted to run. But his feet felt glued to the floor as he stared at theser lights on his shirt. "What more do you want from me!" Joe shouted, knowing fully well that he already knew the answer. Not losing the calmness in his eyes, Mr. Ford casually walked up to Joe. Then he stopped a foot away Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. from him and said, "You hurt and threatened my son. Who do you think you are?!" "Mr. Ford, I can ex...n. Please, I was delu-sional and¡­" Joe blurted out, pausing when Mr. Ford rested his hand on him. Patting his shoulder, Mr. Ford gave a cold smile and said, "Have you heard the saying, ''An eye for an eye?" "Mr. Ford, if I tell you where my boss is, you will let me go, right?!" Joe cried, striving to stop his hand from shaking. "Okay! Okay! I will tell you where my boss is!" "Oh, you are going to tell me. But that will be after learning a couple of life lessons." "Mr. For¡­" Instantly, Joe''s eyes widened the moment Mr. Ford clenched his fist into his stomach. Then he let out a loud groan, screeching out the pain, dropped to his knees, and then tried to catch his breath. "Stand up, boy!" Mr. Ford said, looking down at him. Focusing his red eyes on Mr. Ford, Joe hesitated and then cried out, "My boss has a priv¡­" "Stand!!" "Okay! I''m standing!" Sweat was dripping down Joe''s face as he nervously looked at Mr. Ford''s men before gazing at him, knowing that there was absolutely nothing he could do other than stand and get beaten. Immediately, he squeezed his eyes shut before Mr. Ford''s left leg could crash into his face. The force from the kick knocked Joe to the ground, causing him to ckout. "Damn!!" K mumbled, feeling the hair on his neck stand. ''He still got it.'' Rome thought as a memory of his childhood crossed his mind. Gaining consciousness slowly, Joe felt someone pping his jaw. Then his eyes immediately opened when he heard Mr. Ford firmly utter, ''Wake up, boy!" As their eyes lock, Joe''s survival instinct kicked in, and not realizing what he was doing, he immediately threw a punch, only to get his fist trapped in Mr. Ford''s palm. "I''m sorry! That was, that was¡­ It wasn''t an intentional punch!!" Joe cried when Mr. Ford frowned at him. Ignoring his words, Mr. Ford cored Joe by his shirt and forced him to his feet. As the salty and metallic taste of blood settled on his tongue, Joe dizzily looked at Mr. Ford, suppressing the pain from his injured rib. Then when Mr. Ford''s fist was about to sh with his face, he shouted, "I don''t know where my boss is! I swear! He went into hiding after finding out that your son didn''t die in the ident. And he has been Seeing a frown settled on Mr. Ford''s face, Joe hastily said, "But I have a few ideas of ces he could be! I can help you guys find him!" Without replying, Mr. Ford pushed him to the floor. Then he looked back at Taylor and said, "Take him." A couple of minutes after leaving the warehouse, Rome and Mr. Ford were seated in the backseat of his vehicle, and then Rome''s phone suddenly buzzed. "Is it Catherine?" Mr. Ford asked, looking at him. Keeping silent, Rome slightly shook his head, frowning at the text message on his phone screen, "I feel jealous that someone else is stealing your attention away from me. So I want to help you get rid of him." "It''s the puppets'' master," Rome finally said, ncing at Mr. Ford. Then he wrote back, "What do you mean!?" It took a couple of seconds before he got a text back, "I know where Big Daddy is, and I''m willing to give you his location." "What trick are you up to now?" "It''s not a trick. I just detest that someone is making a move to steal my glory, and is trying to ruin my ns!" There was so much going on through Rome''s head as he intensely stared at the message, and then another text disyed on the screen, "After all, if anyone should be the one to kill Mr. Ford''s precious son, it should be me since he took someone important to me!" For a moment, Rome said nothing as his face grew cold. Then he swayed his gaze on Mr. Ford and firmly asked, "Have you killed before?!" It immediately grew quiet between them as Mr. Ford gazed deep into Rome''s eyes, and after a couple of minutes of silence, he answered, "Yes." "Who!" Rome harshly asked, frowning at him. "Why do you want to know?" "Because whoever this puppet master is, you took someone from them!" Instantly, Mr. Ford''s eyes grew troubled, and he anxiously thought, "It can''t be." When Catherine slowly raised her eyelids, she hastily squeezed them shut because of the chandelier light brightness. ¡®Did I fall asleep?! Catherine thought, rolling over on her side to avoid the light. ''What''s the time now?'' After giving herself a few minutes to fully awake, she grabbed her phone and turned it on, letting out a silent yawn. "Why isn''t he back home yet?" Catherine thought, sighing heavily. At that moment, she realized that she had received a couple of messages from an unknown number. Feeling hesitant, she clicked on her inbox and stared at the pictures that were sent to her. "They lied!" Catherine mumbled, feeling a sense of anger ceasing her heart. The room door suddenly opened, and Catherine raised her gaze, frowning as she watched Rome walk into the room. Then after he shut the door and locked eyes with her, she sweetly smiled and asked, "How was the meeting, hon?" "It was okay," Rome said, striving to keep a calm expression. Without saying another word to Catherine, he headed into the bathroom. Then he stopped in front of the mirror, frowned at his reflection, and thought, ''Why won''t he answer me! What is he hiding?'' Staring intensely at the bathroom door, Catherine clenched her brows, pouted, and mumbled in her head, ''Liar,'' Chapter Sixty-One Chapter Sixty-One As the first light of a new day crept into the room, Catherine slowly raised her eyelids and then frowned as she noticed that Rome''s side of the bed was empty. When Catherine heard the sound of rushing water, she got up from the bed and headed into the bathroom. The moment Rome heard the door open, he pulled his shirt-sleeve over the ster on his arm, turned around, and stared back at her as his face softened into a smile. "Good morning, babe," Rome said, noticing the way she was suspiciously staring at him. "Did something happen at the meeting?" Catherine asked, hoping for the truth this time. "No. It went well." "Oh, okay." Without uttering another word to Rome, Catherine walked out of the bathroom, ignoring him when he called out, "Are you okay, babe!?" "What''s wrong with her?" Rome mumbled when Catherine mmed the door shut. "Did I forget something important? Today is not our anniversary or her birthday. I''m sure of it. Or is it!?" A whileter, the dining room was awfully quiet as Catherine stared at Rome eating his food with a calm expression on his face. ¡®He''s just going to keep up the act and pretend like he didn''t lie about going to a meeting yesterday!'' Catherine thought, stabbing her fork into her egg. Sensing her eyes on him, Rome nced at her with a nk expression and then softly smiled. Then he focused back on his food, feeling too distracted byst night''s event to notice her frown. That only enraged Catherine further, and she was about to speak her mind when the doorbell rang. ¡°I will get it,¡± Nora said, setting the te of bacon on the table before rushing out of the dining room. When she got to the front door, she softly sighed and thought, ¡®Goodness, the tension in that room is scary.¡¯ After taking a few seconds to pull herself together, she grabbed the knob and opened the door. ¡°Sir K?!" Nora muttered beneath her breath with a friendly smile on her face. ¡°Where is the boss?¡± K asked. For a moment, a look of hesitation crossed Nora¡¯s face. Then she stared at the floor and mumbled, ¡°He and ma''am are having breakfast in the dining room. Come in," ¡°Thank you,¡± K said, stepping past her. A couple of minutester, K walked into the dining room. Then he stopped a distance away from the table and said, "Bos¡­" ¡°Is the car ready,¡± Rome hastily uttered,ying his fork down. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Seeing the look of confusion on K''s face, Catherine frowned, knowing that whatever he wanted to say, Rome didn''t want her to hear it. Then she angrily woke from her seat, looked at Rome, and said, ¡°It''s fine. You guys can talk here. I have work to get to.¡± ¡°But it''s still quite early and you haven''t finished your breakfast yet,¡± Rome said, gently staring at her. ¡°It''s clear whatever you guys want to discuss is not for my ears r, so it''s better to leave!" ¡°Cathrine, it''s not like that!¡± ¡°I got to go!¡± With a frown on her face, Catherine grabbed her bag and walked out of the dining room. When Rome heard the front door m close a few minutester, he sighed out his frustration, realizing that she was on to him. ¡°Does madam not know about Big Daddy?¡± K asked while approaching the chair. ¡°Yes,¡± Rome mumbled as he rested back in his seat. "What do you have to report?" ¡°Big boss called. He said that Joe confirmed that the location that the puppets'' master gave you is one of Big Daddy''s homes. That means his information is solid." The calmness in Rome''s expression shifted to anger as he glowered at K and said, "So he''s avoiding calling me now because ofst night and since he doesn''t want to spit out the truth!" ¡°Did something happen between the big boss and you?¡± K uttered, taking a seat. For a moment, Rome kept silent as he stared at Mr. Ford, and then he asked, ¡°How long have you been working for my father?" ¡°I can''t say, but it''s been a while now,¡± K said, lowering his gaze on the table. "Why did you ask?" Silence fell between them as Rome intensely stared at K. Then he rubbed his brow and said, "It''s useless asking you guys because you all are more loyal to him than yourself or me." Taking a grape from the bowl, Rome smirked and thought, ''But I don''t n to back down until I find out what I need to know!'' After a couple of minutes had quietly when by, K looked at Rome and asked, "What are we going to do about Big Daddy location?" "Whatever we need to do to take him down, once and for all!" Rome mumbled, reaching into the bowl for another grape. With her gaze focused on the windshield, Catherine spaced out, wondering what could make Rome act so secretive all of suddenly. ¡°Ma''am, we are here,¡± William said, stepping on the brake. Then he gazed at Catherine''s reflection in the V-mirror as he patiently waited. After a few seconds went by without getting a response from Catherine, William hurriedly got down from the vehicle and opened the back door. ¡°Ma''am, we are at thepany,¡± William mumbled, holding onto the door frame. "Thank you," Catherine sweetly intoned after abandoning her thoughts. Then she gave William a gentle smile as she stepped down from the car before walking into the front door of dreamTeam. The moment she stepped into the lobby, the first floor became quiet for a while. Then everyone greeted softly, ¡°Good morning, boss.¡± But Catherine maintained her silence as she walked towards the executive elevator, reserved only for her, and got on. A few minutester, the elevator came to a stop and Catherine stepped out, heading straight for her office. ¡°Good morning, boss.¡± Her secretary said, standing to her feet. Then she followed closely behind Catherine as she reported, "Boss, your cousin is waiting in your office. I''m sorry. I tried to stop him, but he got violent." When Catherine walked into her office, she scowled as she stared at Charles, smiling back at her. ¡°It''s okay, You can excuse us.¡± Catherine calmly uttered, gazing at her secretary. After she walked out of the room, a frown settled on Catherine''s face as walked behind her desk and then took a seat. The atmosphere suddenly became tense within a matter of seconds, and there was a toxic energy cycling in the room. But Catherine managed to maintain a calm look as she asked, ¡°State your business and leave,¡± "Is that how you wee the vice-chair of DreamTeam?" Charles calmly uttered, smiling faintly at her with a look of arrogance in his gaze. It grew silent for a while as both of them maintained eye contact with each other, hiding their rage behind their calm eyes. "What are you talking about?" Catherine asked, ring at him. "Ho, right! You weren''t at work yesterday." Charles slyly said, sitting up straight in his seat. "Well, dear cousin, it''s my privilege to inform you that I''m back in DreamTeam as the vice-chair." Chapter Sixty-Two Chapter Sixty-Two Twirling her chair left to right, Catherine stared at Charles'' prideful expression and then screwed her face into a frown ¡°Look, Charles, I don''t have the energy and time for whatever nonsense this is, so please leave my office!¡± Catherine finally said, giving him a cold stare as she sat up straight. A frown settled on Charles'' face as he took a long look at her. Then he sighed and said, ¡°Let me rephrase my sentence. ''I legally bought shares from some of the shareholders of DreamTeam, and now, I''m the vice-chair since I''m the second highest shareholder in thepany." ¡°Do you have a high fever or something?¡± Catherine firmly uttered. "There''s no way you have the financial backing to sway thispany''s shareholders to sell their shares to you!" ¡°You will be shocked to find out the kind of powerful connection I have now!¡± Charles boastfully uttered, smirking faintly. "What powerful connection?! What are you even talking about!?" "Won''t you like to know! But I''m d to tell you, dear cousin, that it is none of your business!" Scowling at Charles, Catherine took a long look at him and then casually asked, "Did you take any illegal substance this morning?" Filled with arrogance and rage, Charles clenched his fists and stood from his seat. Then he walked over to the desk, tossed a folder onto it and rested his palms t on its wooden surface without taking his gaze of Catherine''s calm eyes, and firmly said, "Is that convincing enough?!" For a moment, Catherine hesitated. Then she picked up the file, and the moment she gazed at the first page, her eyes grew troubled. ''This can not be possible.'' Catherine thought, realizing that the document was legal. "Cat got your tongue, dear cousin!?" Charles mockingly said with a smirk on his lips. Swaying her gaze away from the paper, Catherine red at him and asked, "Who''s your connection, Charles?!" "As I said, it''s none of your damn business, dear cousin!" Charles firmly uttered. "What I can tell you is that they did something that you were too selfish to let happen!" "Do you think I don''t want to allow you guys back into DreamTeam! But the damage you all cause this "Oh, spare me the bullcrap! You just want everyone to be beneath you so you can finally feel some sense of worth because you had none until Rome walked into your life!" "Charles!" "What?! It''s true! I bet after here, you are going to take off galloping to him to ask him to get me out of this ce!" "That''s not tru¡­" "New sh, cousin, these documents are legal, and taking me to court would be the only way you can take me out of thispany." All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Speechless from rage, Catherine took a long look at Charles, striving to get her anger under control. Then she drew a deep breath and said, "As long as you don''t do anything to hurt thepany, I''m fine with you being here, honestly." "Well, even if you are not okay with me being here, there is absolutely nothing you can do about it, so save your words because pretending is an ugly look on you," Charles said, taking the folder out of Catherine''s hand. Then he turned to leave, but her voice stopped him in his tracks, "You don''t know who your powerful connection is. Am I right?" Keeping silent, Charles took in a deep breath, squeezing his eyelids shut. "I think the person that is helping you was the one who used Chloe and made her do all that outrageous stuff that got her in trouble," Catherine said, staring at his back. "Chloe doesn''t need someone to push her to do things, especially if it means getting what she wants," Charles said, raising hisshes. "And just like her, I would willingly shake hands with the devil if that means getting what I want!" "Do you hear yourself?!" "I don''t think I stuttered, dear cousin!" A frown crossed Catherine''s face as she watched Charles walk out of her office with the folder in his hand. Then after he shut the door, she picked up her phone and scrolled through her contact, frowning at the number she stopped at. After dialing her grandfather''s number, Catherine waited patiently, and a few secondster, she heard, "Hey, dear." "Are you aware that Charles is now thepany''s new Vice-chair?" The line instantly grew silent, and Catherine felt a sense of rage as she mumbled, "Unbelievable!" "Come to the houseter, and let''s talk about it over dinner." Mr. Barlow gently said from the other end of the call. Then there was a brief pause before he mumbled, "You haven''t told Rome about this yet, right dear?" "You must be kidding me?! Do any of you guys respect me, or is it just my husband you all fear!?" Catherineshed out in annoyance. "Of course, we respect you, dear. Please,e over for dinner, and we can all talk things out like family." "Fine! I will be there." "Catherine?" "What is it, grandpa?!" "Can you not bring Rome along. It''s just that your uncles and cousins are a bit rebellious, and I don''t want them to offend him." Keeping silent, Catherine narrowed her eyes and thought, ''But you don''t mind them hurting my feelings! Some grandfather you are!'' Then a sigh escaped her lips, and she finally said, "Sure, grandpa." The silence in the office was suddenly disturbed by a knock on the door, and without staring away from the blueprints on his desk, Rome called out, "Come in." It took a moment for the door to open. Then he lifted his head and his gaze met Amara''s eyes. With a calm expression on her face, she smiled at him and shut the door behind her before softly saying, "Good morning," "Morning," Rome casually uttered as he watched her walk over to a chair and then take a seat. "I''m here like you asked. So what did you want to talk about?" "Henry and the others have been working on this, and they finally arrive in my office this morning." "What are they?" "I wanted them to get done with them first before informing you. Well, they are several blueprints for the building idea of NewWorld inc. new branch." "Blueprints?" Seeing the mixture of confusion and stress on Amara''s face, Rome hesitated for a moment, trying to figure out what her expression meant. Then he picked up the blueprints,id them in front of her, and said, "Yes. I need your consent on which one is perfect so construction can start." "But won''t that mean it will take a couple of months before we can have thepany up and running?" Amara asked, striving not to look bothered. "Yes." "Can''t we just buy a building?" It fell silent between them as Rome instantly gaze at her, and feeling nervous by his stare, Amara pushed her hair behind her ear, and said, "I mean it will be way less time-consuming if we buy a building." "But we are not in a rush," Rome calmly uttered with a touch of suspicion in his eyes. "Or are we?" "Let''s be honest here, Mr. Ford, we are both busy people, and starting a new project like that would only add up on our workload. So, why not cut down the work by buying a building instead?" "Well," Even though Rome felt hesitant to admit it, he knew Amara was right. So he drew a breath and said, "That makes way more sense. Since that''s the case, I will have Henry and the others assigned on finding suitable buildings that we can use." "I''m so d you agree with me, Mr. Ford. It''s not like we can''t start from scratch, but it''s beneficial for both of us if we don''t." Amara said, giving him a soft smile. "I understand." "Okay then, I will be waiting on your call for the options of buildings Henry and his team woulde up with." "Sure," After a brief silence, Amara stood to her feet, and as she was about to walk away, Rome met her eyes and suddenly asked, "Amara, have you ever received a message from an unknown number?" Immediately, her face went nk as she stared at him without uttering a word. Chapter Sixty-Three Chapter Sixty-Three The office was awfully silent for quite a while as Rome continued gazing into Amara''s calm eyes. Then his ringtone suddenly drew his attention away from her. Seeing that it was Catherine calling, he picked up his phone, and then looked back at Amara. A soft smile crept on her lips, and she dragged her hair behind her ear as she said, "An unknown number? Umm, of course not. Why do you ask, Mr. Ford?" "Nothing," Rome said, giving her a quick smile. Then he focused on his phone and thought, ''You have already told me what I needed to know.'' Without uttering a word, Amara intensely gazed at Rome. Then she turned away and walked out of the office with a bitter look in her eyes. After epting the call, Rome rested back in his seat and said, "Hey, babe." "Just in case you n to go home soon, I want you to know that I won''t being home early today," Catherine said with a touch of sadness in her eyes. "Okay," Rome uttered, hesitating for a moment. "Did your workload pile up because you stayed home yesterday?" A dull throb hit Catherine''s heart as she said, "Yes. It''s a bit hectic at thepany today." "I''m sorry, Babe." Rome softly uttered, realizing that her voice sounded a bit sad. After keeping silent for a moment, Catherine pressed her lips in a firm line and then mumbled, "It''s fine." "Should Ie over when I''m done here to keep youpany?" Rome asked, feeling a sense of remorse. As a feeling of nervousness overwhelmed her, Catherine unintentionally shouted, "No!" "Are you okay?" Rome asked, shocked by the rise in her tone. Taking a moment to calm her heartbeat, Catherine drew a silent breath and mumbled, "Yes. It''s just that if youe here, I don''t think I would be able to focus on anything else but you." A chuckle escaped Rome''s lips and a smile forced its way on his face. Then he heartily mumbled, "Okay, I won''te." Once Rome ended his call with Catherine, he dialed his father''s number and waited for him to answer. After a couple of rings, Mr. Ford answered the call and asked, "Can we not talk aboutst night?" "I didn''t call you for that since I n to find out what I need to know with or without your help. I called you because I want to be done with Big Daddy tonight, and I need your help. Will you please help me out?" There was a moment of silence on the line. Then Mr. Ford''s voice flowed from the speakers, ¡°Okay. give me an exact time and tell me what you need me to do, and I will be there and have it done." At seven o''clock, the dining room was quiet for quite a while as Catherine sat at the table with her family. After another few minutes of silence, she felt a bit awkward, looked at the maid, and softly intoned, ¡°The food is amazing, Susanna.¡± ¡°We all know that you didn''te all this way topliment the food, so why don''t you cut to the chase, dear cousin?¡± Charles asked, giving her a dirty look. Fixing her gaze on her cousin, Catherine frowned and said, ¡°Well, fine. I feel disrespected that you hosted a meeting without my approval and wriggled your way back into thepany disrespectfully! Now, I''m wondering how many other things you guys have done behind my back that concern the Swaying his gaze away from Catherine''s fierce stare, Mr. Barlow red at Charles and said, ¡°I was just as shocked as you when I found out what your cousin did. Trust me, none of us here have involvement in his actions." Silence followed Mr. Barlow''s statement, and the others kept a mutual expression on their faces as they gazed at Catherine. ¡°I don''t see anything wrong with what my son did. After all, Catherine has no right keeping her family members away from a business that was meant for all of us!" William said, clenching his brows. Frowning, Mr. Barlow threw him a hard stare and uttered, ¡°What are you talking about now? Charles shouldn''t have bypassed his cousin''s authority and entered thepany without her consent!" ¡°Oh, is that so? Then what was he supposed to do?! Wait for Catherine to get over her egotism attitude!?" Richard casually uttered. ¡°You read my thoughts and stole the words right out of my mouth, cousin!" Charles said, smirking at Richard. ¡°I worked hard to get DreamTeam to where it is now! So forgive me if I don''t trust you all getting involved with it again so you won''t damage my hard work." Scowling, William pped his hand on the table and shouted, ¡°Show we have made mistakes in the past! But how long are you going to keep holding that over our heads!¡± ¡°Right! You are the baby of this family. Just because you married into a wealthy family doesn''t change that and it shouldn''t make you stop respecting your elders and not listen to them!¡± Elijah yelled with his veins bulging on his neck. ¡°We are all humans! You can''t expect perfection from us, except you see yourself as perfect!" Anthony said, deepening his face into a frown. With sadness in her eyes, Catherine let out a soft sigh and said, ¡°Perfect is far from what I think of All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. myself. But I have worked hard to get DreamTeam back on track and among the top sessful ¡°How badly do you think of us, Catherine! Our past mistakes don''t define who we are now. People can change you know!¡± Elijah said with a touch of hate in his eyes. ¡°Stop seeing us for our past, and try giving us the chance to prove to you that we are better than our mistakes!¡± Anthony firmly uttered, meeting Catherine''s doubtful gaze. ¡°Blood should be thicker than any other thing, and as the family''s top inheritor, you should be trying to help this family and not keep us divided.¡± William calmly intoned, fixing his eyes on Catherine. Seeing a look of hesitation on his daughter''s face, Edward scowled, knowing that she was about to give in, and there was nothing he could do about it. The sound of footsteps approaching the dining room didn''t move Big Daddy as he calmly cut his steak with a de. Then a frown settled on his face when Rome pulled a chair at the table and sat down. "Your arrogance is unmatchable! You dare walk in here alone knowing how I feel towards you." Big Daddy coldly uttered, stabbing his knife into the piece of steak and then cutting into it. "I''m not alone. My men just have their hands full with your guys." Rome calmly uttered. Looking at Rome, Big Daddy pointed the de at him and firmly uttered, "I can have this stuck in the left side of your chest before your men get here." Then he brought the de to his lip, smirked, and ate the piece of steak off it. "You seem calm for a man whose house is surrounded and is facing someone pissed at him for trying to kill them," Rome said, ignoring his threat. "That''s because I know who has the upper hand here." Big Daddy said with a deadpan expression on his face. When Rome frowned at him, he smiled and mockingly said, "Do you want to hear a secret?" After waiting for Rome to reply and he got nothing but silence, Big Daddy casually uttered, "My guess, you moved Ricky''s family to keep them safe from me. But you are not the only one good at finding people." "What do you mean?" Rome casually asked with a straight expression. Swaying his gaze off Rome, Big Daddy slowly sliced his steak as he said, "You know exactly what I mean. My men have eyes on them, and if I die, they die, and if I live, they get to live. Your choice!" Chapter Sixty-Four Chapter Sixty-Four Anger spiked in Rome''s eyes as he gazed at Big Daddy cutting his steak and then ate the meat off the de. Then he focused solely on the knife in his hand for a second before looking back at Big Daddy and saying, "How about option three, get your ass off that chair, obediently follow me out of here, and register yourself at a police station." Fixing his gaze on Rome''s cold eyes, Big Daddy mockingly asked, ¡°What if I refused, what are you going to do about it? Allow that poor little girl to get a bullet to her head along with her mother and grandmother?" ¡°No. I''m going to make you regret being an idiot for refusing such a great deal,¡± Rome coldly said, looking at the de in his hand. ¡°Ahah-ahah! One wrong move from you and it''s bye-bye to little Jennifer, mama, and grandma. Now walk away, boy, and I promise that they won''t get hurt.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Without uttering another word, Rome got up from his seat, and when he noticed that Big Daddy had ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . focused back on his steak, he picked up a te, threw it at him, and shouted, "Heads up!" After raising his gaze, before Big Daddy could think about dodging, the te mmed into his forehead, causing him to shut his eyelids for a moment as blood rolled down his eyshes. The moment he felt his wrist in Rome''s grip, Big Daddy force his eyes open and locked eyes with Rome. Smiling stiffly at him, Rome viciously banged his hand against the edge of the table, knocking the knife out of his grip. ¡°Wh-at is hap-pen-ing¡­¡± Big Daddy shouted in pain as he stared at his hand before meeting Rome''s zing eyes. Without saying a word, Rome forcefully kicked the chair, knocking it down along with Big Daddy. Looking up at Rome, he struggled to stand to his feet as he mumbled, "Are you ready going to let a kid die!" Keeping silent, Rome cored him by his shirt, yanked him to his feet, and banged his back against the edge of the table. "Do you want to know the truth?" Rome coldly uttered, leaning towards Big Daddy''s ear. "I have the advantage here. Joe was quite useful with information, and Jennifer is just fine with her mother and grandmother. I can not say the same about your men though." Realizing what those words meant, Big Daddy suddenly grabbed Rome''s wrists and then smashed his head into Rome''s forehead. Then he pped Rome''s hands off his shirt and tried to run for the door. But Rome caught him by the back of his shirt and yanked him backward, smashing him against the table. Letting out a loud groan from the pain, Big Daddy tried to break free but Rome tightened his grips on his shirt, dragged him to the wall, and crushed him into it. "You should have kept your existence hidden from me and not crossed me!" Rome firmly said, smacking Big Daddy''s hand down before striking him in the right cheek. Anger spiked in Big Daddy''s eyes, and he suddenly reached for Rome''s neck, wrapping his fingers around it and striving to strangle him. Feeling a bit drowsy, Rome let go of Big Daddy''s shirt and elbowed him in the face, leaving a deep cut on his nose. The pain tore through Big Daddy''s head, but he suppressed it and mmed his fist into Rome''s jaw, bruising his gum. As the taste of blood settled on his tongue, Rome grabbed both sides of Big Daddy''s face and mmed his head into the wall. Immediately, he dropped to the ground, losing his vision for a moment as he cried out the pain. Spitting out the blood in his mouth, Rome was about to strike again when his phone started vibrating in his pocket. At that moment, Mr. Ford and his men walked into the dining room, and when he saw Rome''s bruised up face, his eyes darkened. After pulling his phone out of his pocket, Rome looked at Edward''s name blinking on his screen. Then he gaze at Mr. Ford and said, "He''s all yours. I got to take this call." The coldness in Mr. Ford''s gaze intensified as he looked down at Big Daddy on the floor, and then stared at Rome, walking out of the dining room. After arriving outside, Rome answered the call and silently listened as Edward''s voice echoed into his ear, "Catherine just gave my brothers and her cousins ess back into dreamTeam." "What? How?" Rome asked, feeling a sense of rage. "She came over here for dinner, and they guilt her into allowing them back into thepany." "Wait! She was at the mansion?!" "Yes. Please talk some sense into her. We can not allow her to get mixed up with the wolves again!" Clutching his fist, Rome frowned and mumbled, "Thank you for informing me." Frowning at the time on her phone screen, Catherine took a deep breath andid her phone back on the bed, shutting her eyelids shut. Then the sound of the bedroom door opening drew her attention, and she turned her head to the left, gazing at Rome entering the room. When their eyes locked, Catherine frowned at the cut on his lips and nose. Then she clenched her jaws, suppressing her emotions. "How was work at the office? Did you get them done?" Rome calmly asked, pulling his coat off his shoulder. "It was a bit hectic. But yes, I got things done." Catherine said without looking away from his eyes. Not uttering another word to her, Rome took off his coat, tossed it on the couch, and headed into the bathroom, knowing that he needed to cool off. For a moment, Catherine sat in silence, slowly losing her grip on her emotions. Then she woke from the bed and went into the bathroom. After she stopped in her tracks, she stared at the transparent shower ss, and firmly said, "Are you going to tell me what happened to your face?" When Rome didn''t answer, Catherine tightened her fist and shouted, "Did you hear me!" "I know that you didn''t stayte at thepany. Instead, you went to have dinner at your family house! You lied to me!" Rome said, looking at her. "When did you start keeping things from me?!" It fell silent between them, and Catherine felt her heart sink when she noticed the look of anger on Rome''s face. Then a frown suddenly crossed her forehead, and she ran her fingers through her hair as she sniffed and shouted, ¡°Don''t me me! I learned it from you!¡± Not waiting for a response from Rome, she stomped out of the bathroom, mming the door behind her. A couple of minutester, Rome walked out of the bathroom, gazed at Catherine seated on the bed, and said, "What do you mean by you learned it from me?" "Are you still going to keep pretending like you didn''t lie to me about going to a meeting with your father!" Catherine asked, scowling at him. When Rome didn''t answer, Catherine grabbed her phone from the sheet, went into her inbox, and firmly said, "What kind of business meeting happen in a sketchy-looking warehouse?!" "What?!" Rome mumbled in shock, looking at her phone. Then he walked over to her, took it out of her hands, and stared at the photos in her inbox. Suddenly a frown crossed Rome''s face. Then he looked Catherine in her eyes and asked, "Who sent you these pictures?" Chapter Sixty-Five Chapter Sixty-Five A look of hesitation crossed Catherine''s face, and then she mumbled, "I don''t know. I was too mad at you for lying to me that it didn''t cross my mind to check who the sender was." Without replying to her, Rome walked over to the couch, took out his phone from his coat pocket, and then scrolled through it for a moment. Then his eyes darkened, and he looked at Catherine''s phone for a moment before focusing back on his screen. "What is it?" Catherine asked, noticing how serious his face had be. "It was the puppets'' master," Rome said, feeling a sense of anger rising in him. "He''s not only after me! He''s watching you too!" Frowning, Catherine woke from the bed, approached Rome, and stared at her phone screen and then his. Then she frowned and said, "But why would he send me these pictures?" Clutching his fist, Rome met her darting eyes and subconsciously said, "Isn''t it crystal clear! The same reason they tried to set me up with Chloe. Whoever this person is, they want to break us up, Catherine." Those words made sense to Catherine, and yet, it still confused her, "Bu... Why would he think these pictures would cause conflict between us." For a moment, it grew silent between them. Then a bitterugh escaped Rome''s lips as anger spiked in his eyes. "Who did you tell about my whereabouts yesterday?" Rome asked with a straight expression. "I don''t know," Catherine mumbled without giving it a thought. Then her eyes suddenly widened as she gazed at Rome and shouted out, "Mini!" "Our maid, Mini?" Rome asked, lowering his brows. "Yes. She seemed rather concerned about setting up a te for youst night, and I told her that you were at a business meeting!" "That calctive bastard! They found out that I lied to you about the meeting and thought that sending the picture would start something between us." Suddenly, all the disced pieces of the puzzle started to fit together in Rome''s head, and then he firmly uttered, "It makes sense. If you want to know more about someone, nt a spy in their home!" Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "Are you saying, Mini is also a puppet in his game?" Catherine asked, ignoring the feeling of annoyance she felt after Rome abruptly confessed to lying to her about the meeting. "I don''t know. It could be her or anyone in this damn house! Who knows how many of their people they have infiltrated into our lives!" "But she was the only one who asked about you that night?" "Yes, but she could have passed the information to anyone who had asked her." Silence followed Rome''s remark. Then after a couple of quiet minutes, Rome''s face grew serious as he looked at Catherine and said, "Your father said that you give your uncles and cousins ess back into DreamTeam. Please tell me, you are not honest about that?" When Catherine didn''t answer, a look of disbelief crossed Rome''s face, and he firmly said, "No! That''s not happening!" "It''s not like I was the one who paved the way for them! It was this so-called puppets'' master who somehow got Charles shares in thepany without my knowledge!" Catherine said in annoyance. "What?" "And there''s nothing I can do about it because all of the paperwork is legal!" "Are you sure!" Noticing the look of hesitation on Catherine''s face, Rome frowned and said, "I''m getting awyer to look into it! And until we can have Charles out of there, you can not allow the rest in!" ¡°You must be kidding, right?¡± Catherine asked, feeling an instant sense of remorse. ¡°No, I''m not joking, Catherine. I have enough enemies already, I don''t need you to bring in more!" "Enemies? Don''t you think using that word on my family is a bit too harsh!" "What are they then?" There was a long pause as Catherine gazed at Rome with a look of disbelief on her face. Then she lowered her gaze and said, "They are not perfect. But who can im themselves as wless? We all make mistakes, right?" "Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Rome asked, frowning at her. "I just think they deserve a second chance!" "What words did they brainwash you with at that dinner!?" "No one brainwashed me!" "Really? Because I expect you to know better by now, Catherine! So why are you acting like you don''t?" "Wow!" Striving to suppress all the mixed emotions running through him, Rome stepped past her, walked over to the wardrobe, and pulled out a white t-shirt with sweatpants. ¡°Why are you acting so unreasonable!¡± Catherine mumbled, squinting her eyelids. Turning a cold eye on her, Rome mmed the door closed and angrily said, ¡°Do I look like I''m enjoying this or being the one making the tough decision here!?¡± "No," Catherine said, staring away from him. "I just feel guilty. If I would have let them into thepany earlier, Charles would not need to work with this so-called puppet master." "Okay, and if you would have had the heart to divorce me then Chloe wouldn''t have gone through all those lengths to get to me, is that what you are saying?" Rome asked as he got dressed. "No!" "Really! Okay then what''s the difference, Catherine?" The silence in the room grew louder as Rome looked into her eyes, noticing the hurt within them. "I don''t know," Catherine whispered, darting her gaze away from him. "That''s because there is no difference between Charles and Chloe. They will both go to any length to get what they want, and it''s not your fault that they do. You need to understand that." Rome said, walking over to her. Without uttering a word, Catherine crossed her arms and frowned, knowing that he was right. When Rome was a foot away from her, he met her eyes and said, "It''s okay to be selfish to protect yourself from people that want to hurt you. You are not a bad person for defending yourself and standing your ground." Although she was annoyed at him and had so many responses running through her head, when Rome entangled his fingers with hers, the feeling she got from his touch caused her lips to continuously rebel against her, refusing to say the words in her head out loud. But when Rome drew towards her lips, Catherine pulled back, frowning as she mumbled, "I''m still mad at you for lying to me anding who all bruised up again!" "I don''t like these bruises either," Rome said, staring solely into her eyes. "Then stop getting into fights." "I don''t choose my battles, babe. Instead, they find me, and if I don''t fight, that''s where the true danger lies." Staring at the indecisive look on Catherine''s face, Rome raised her chin, and said, "I need to do this to keep you safe, to keep us safe. A soft smile crept on her lips as she gazed into his eyes and then mumbled, " You are right, about all of it. I guess tomorrow I have to tell my uncles that they can''t work in dreamTeam. I don''t know how they will take it, but it''s the right thing to do." Chapter Sixty-Six Chapter Sixty-Six The moment Rome arrived at the staircase, he was met with K, staring at him with a smile on his lip. "What excites you this morning?" Rome asked as he jammed his hands in his front pockets. "Scar should be the one to tell you! He said he wanted to call, but he didn''t want to disturb ma''am and you this early." K gaily uttered. "So he''s awaiting you at the casino." "Ok-kay," "I promise you it''s good news." With her hand slowly tracing down the stair handrail, Catherine softly smiled at K when their eyes met and asked, "What is the good news?" As she stopped by him, Rome grabbed her by her waist, pulled her towards him, and looked into her darting eyes as he calmly intoned, "I wish I knew. But apparently, only Scar can tell it, so I''m heading to the casino to meet him." "Okay." Catherine said, gently stroking her hand against his chest. After staring quietly at Catherine for a moment, Rome slowly tugged a lock of her hair behind her ear and asked, "Are you nervous?" "Kind of," Catherine said with a shaking smile. "Do you want me toe along?" "Thank you, but I''d rather do this alone." Staring deep into her eyes, Rome paused for a moment and then asked, "Are you sure?"Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "Yes," Catherine said with a wide smile. Reading the chemistry between both of them, K took a small step backward and then mumbled, "I will be outside." Not waiting for a response, K turned around and hastily walked away. "Don''t hesitate to call me if you need to or want to, okay?" Rome said, keeping his gaze solely on hers. "Yeah, I know, my superman." Catherine teased. Then it got silent as their eyes kept fixed on each other without theirshes blinking. Not holding back, Catherine tiptoed towards Rome''s mouth, and when she felt his grip on her waist tighten, she gave a half-smile before resting her lips against his, iming his bottom lip. "Good morning, madam and sir!" Nora uttered as she walked towards Catherine and Rome. Then her eyes widened when she reached them, and immediately, she turned around as she mumbled, "Oh! Pardon me." A lovely giggle escaped Catherine''s lips after she drew away from Rome. "I might just clear my schedule and stay home today," Rome said with a straight face. Narrowing her eyes at him, Catherine pulled from his arm and then mumbled, "You are going to work." "Well, you are the boss, so I guess I''m going," Rome said as the corner of his lips pulled upward. After a few hours'' drive, Mr. Ondo finally stopped the car in front of the casino. ''She will be fine on her own, right?'' Rome thought, unable to get rid of the sense of worry that was messing with his head and heart. After K pulled the car door open, he then stepped out and walked into the building. When Rome and K arrived in the casino a few minutester and everyone saw him, it grew silent on the first floor and all eyes followed him as he headed upstairs without paying no mind to all the stares he was getting. "Did you hear the ''big boss'' took out someonest night?" A guy mumbled as he hit the billiard ball. As the ball sunk into the hole, the other dude frowned. Then he rest his pool cue stick on the table and said, "I heard that it was because he tried to kill, boss." "That''s true," "It was a stupid mistake on his end. The big boss isn''t kind to anyone who threatened his family." After arriving on the second floor, Rome marched straight towards the steel door at the end of the hallway, pushed it open, and walked in with K. ¡°Boss,¡± Scar hastily said, standing from his chair. Shutting the door behind him, K followed Rome further into the room. After taking a seat on the couch, Rome gazed at his father for a moment and then stared at Scar as he asked, ¡°So what''s the good news?" ¡°I think I have found out who put Early in aa!" Scar said, approaching the table. "You think?" Rome asked with a touch of disappointment in his expression. Swaying his focus on Rome and seeing the look on his face, Scar hastily said, "I don''t think. I''m sure about it!" "Okay. Who did it?" "A guy named Grey." The room fell silent as Rome intensely gazed at Scar with an emotionless face. Then he drew a breath and asked, "What''s your assumption based on?" "This," Scar said, opening theptop on the table. Then he input his USB into it, scroll through the files in it for a while, and stop at a video. "Okay, do you see this guy entering the front door of the hospital, he kind of disappears a few minutes in the hospital CCTV footage," Scar said, looking at Rome for a moment. "So you think the few minutes he''s off-screen for, he went to get dressed?" Rome asked, looking at the backpack hung on Grey''s shoulder. "Yes! Because a couple of momentster, our mask guy showed up. Then after injecting Earl with the dosages, he disappeared and Grey resurfaced. The timing match! When Gery disappeared, the masked guy showed up, and when the masked guy vanished, Grey resurfaced." "It makes sense because we couldn''t find the masked guy after Earl got overdosed." A tiny sense of hope sparkled in Rome''s heart as he smiled at Scar, giving him a sense of aplishment, and he just knew that his next discovery would make Rome even happier. "Grey is Earl''s personal assistant." Scar blurted out and the room instantly grew quiet. "What!" Rome uttered in shock. "Earl was double-crossed by his assistant!". After a brief hesitation, Scar uttered, "Yes, and it brings me to my next information, Grey is not the guy who was stalking you in Archend. Their height and body size don''t match. Also, Grey was here doing the time you were in Archend." Then when Rome and his eyes locked, he hastily said, "But I''m still digging into the other guy. So don''t worry, boss, I wouldn''t res¡­" "Thank you, Scar." Rome gently uttered with a calm look in his eyes. "We wouldn''t have such a huge breakthrough without you. So don''t overwork yourself, and take your time." Those words caused Scar to pause as he stared at Rome. Then he nodded happily and said, "Thank you, boss! I will!" Swaying his focus off Scar, Rome looked at Mr. Ford and K and said, "Until ke and Brook can add up to the information we have, for now, our mean focus will be getting any information we can get out of this Grey guy." The silence in the room had Catherine feeling annoyed because she could hear all the thoughts running about in her head. "Should I have allowed him toe with me?" Catherine mumbled, resting her head on the desk. Then she blew out her jaws and muttered, "I can do this. My happiness matters too. It''s time to stop sacrificing myself for ungrateful people." At that moment, the sound of her office door opening echoed into her ear, and Catherine raised her head. Then a sigh escaped her lips when she heard her secretary say, "Boss, your uncles, and Charles are here, and I have directed them in the board room as you requested. They are awaiting you there." ''Here goes nothing,'' Catherine thought, standing from her seat. Chapter Sixty-Seven Chapter Sixty-Seven The moment the conference door opened Elijah, Richard, and William turned their heads to the left, smiling at Catherine as she walked into the office. "Haha, there''s my dear niece!" William gaily said as he pped his hand. Keeping a straight face, Catherine walked up to the table and took her seat at the head of it. Immediately, a frown crossed Charles''s face because he realized that his cousin was still above him after all. "Good morning, Uncle William, Elijah, and Richard." Catherine calmly uttered, resting her hands on the desk. Then she clutched her fingers together, looked at Charles, and said, "Good morning, cousin." ¡°Can we speed this up? I got somewhere to be.¡± Charles mumbled in annoyance. "Watch how you speak to your cousin! She''s being a Saint for forgiving us after all that we have done to thispany, and giving us a second chance. The least you can do is be appreciative of her!" Williamshed out at his son. ''Although those words sound really nice, it''s disgusting because you are telling Charles that he can only respect me if I''m useful to you guys. What a bunch of pretenders!'' Catherine thought with a nk face. Then she strived not to roll her eyes and returned a stiff smile when her uncle grinned at her and said, "Good morning, dear." ¡°So what I and your uncles discussedst night was that we are all hoping to resume a position on the board." William continued with a smile stered on his face. "Wow, it seems like you guys have made a decision again behind my back!" Catherine boldly uttered in annoyance. ¡°You sound like you have a problem with that,¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Of course, I do! DreamTeam is run by me, and if anyone should be making the decision here, it''s me!¡± As Elijah gazed at Catherine, he frowned and said, ¡°We all disagree with that.¡± ¡°Well, I don''t,¡± Catherine mumbled with a carefree attitude. ¡°I know being the chairwoman of thispany has put you in a powerful position. But as a Barlow, you are still the baby of the fam...¡± ¡°A Ford,¡± "Huh?" "I am legally married, uncle, so I''m a ''Ford.'' Also, spare me the lecture. I have heard it once, and telling me it for the second time doesn''t make it as effective as the first." The room fell silent as Elijah, William, Anthony, and even Charles stared at her in bewilderment. Then Anthony sighed heavily and said, "It seems like your mind is already made up to not listen to us, so we are inclined to hear to what you have decided for us." "I said some thingsst night while being pressured by you guys. But now that I think about it, I''m taking those words back." Catherine calmly uttered, not losing her straight expression. ¡°You can''t be serious!" ¡°Do I look like I''m kidding? What part of what I had just said sounds like a joke to you, Uncle Anthony!?¡± ¡°But that means you are withdrawing your decision to let us work with DreamTeam again." ¡°Grandpa passed down the burden of leadership of DreamTeam to me, and I have to make tough choices for the benefit of thispany!" With a look of disappointment in his eyes, William clenched his fist and said, ¡°You can''t do this!" ¡°The decision has been made!¡± Catherine casually said. Then she looked at the time on her phone screen, stood to her feet, and said, ¡°Since that''s all I came here to say, I will take my leave now. I have a busy schedule." ¡°Your stupid husband was behind you changing your mind! I just know it!¡± Charles blurted out with a burning rage glowing in his eyes. A cold look settled on Catherine''s face as she met her cousin''s gaze and calmly asked, "Do you want me to call my husband so you can call him ''stupid'' to his face?!" When no one spoke for a while, Catherine looked at the faces one after the other, rested her icy gaze on Charles, and then said, ¡°That''s what I thought!¡± ¡°Just because grandfather chose you based on the fact that you married a wealthy man, doesn''t mean you get to act cocky here, cousin! Two heads or more is better than one.¡± Charles boldly stated. A frown swept across Catherine''s face when his eyes met hers. Then as she was about to speak when William cut her off and said, ¡°Although those words were a bit harsh, Charles is right! You need us to help you run thispany.¡± Letting out a faint sigh, Catherine eyed William. Then she faced Charles and asked, ¡°Knowing you, I''m sure you have checked out thepany''s ounts and stuff. So you should know how much growth DreamTeam has experienced. Who do you think did that, Charles?!" It suddenly became silent, and Catherine grew irritated as she shouted, ¡°I did that! Also, having a wealthy partner is not a crime, dear cousin! It''s a tremendous bonus to my sess.¡± The quietness in the room dragged on for a little while. Then Anthony cleared his throat and mumbled, "We know, dear. That''s why we humbly asked you to rethink your decision for the sake of the family." Hardening her face, Catherine red at them and said, "It''s true that two heads are better than one. But it also stated that great minds think alike, and so far the discord between us is proof that you are not the kind of people I want to work with now or ever!" Without losing her cold expression, Catherine fixed her gaze on Charles and said, "Also, before you can get the chance to do anything to damage what I have built over these months, I''m taking you to court for illegally entering mypany!" A mocking and faint chuckle escaped Charles as he hit his fingernails against the table. Then he stopped and coldly uttered, "Oh, I''m shaking in my boots right now!" "You will be once I''m done with you!" Catherine firmly uttered, raising her chin. Then she smirked as the prideful look on Charles''s face faded, leaving him staring nkly at her. Without uttering another word, Catherine walked away from the table and headed out of the room without looking back. A momentter, when she arrived in her office, she froze in her tracks as her eyes widened. "What are you doing here?" Catherine happily cried, smiling at Rome. "Well, I called your Secretary, and she said you were in a meeting with your uncles and Charles. Since I was in yourpany area, I thought to stop by." Rome said as he stood from his seat. "Ho-w¡­ When did you arrive?" "It''s been a couple of minutes now." "Then why didn''t youe to the conference room instead of waiting here?" Walking over to Catherine, Rome kept his gaze solely on her eyes. Then he stopped, bent over as he leaned towards her ear, and whispered, "Because I knew you didn''t need me in there since you are a pretty fierce woman, and you could deal with it on your own." A smile crept on Catherine''s lips, and she rushed into Rome''s arms, tightening her hands around his waist. After walking into his office and mming the door shut, Charles rested his palms on his hips and started pacing around the room. A sense of rage suddenly spiked in him, and he rushed for his desk and swept off the folders on it, sending them flying to the floor. "Who the hell does she think she is!" Charles roared, unable to suppress the rage that fueled his hate for Catherine. Then he pulled out his phone, and with shaking hands, he texted, "You said that you can give me DreamTeam, right? Not just a part of it, but all of it!" A couple of seconds passed. Then a message appeared in his inbox, "Yes. Why do you ask?" "Because I want all of it." "Good. Give me time, and I will make it happen!" A smirk surfaced on Charles''s face, and then a faintugh escaped his lips as a look of arrogance settled in his eyes. "Don''t me me, cousin. You forced my hand." Charles coldly mumbled, sitting on the edge of his desk. Announcement Announcement I don''t want to leave you all hanging and guessing. The truth is, updating this book has be slower because I''m stuck. "Living as a billionaire," is reaching the climax, and I have hit a bit of writer block. I do know the ending. But the problem is having to tie up all the loose ends so that I wouldn''t leave you guys with questions and doubts in the end. I do n to finish this book before the middle of next month, and I will have it updated by tomorrow. I like to inform you all on things, not as a way of making excuses, but so you all can be in the know since you guys are spending your hard earn money on my work. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. So far I have lost seven thousand readers, so believe me when I tell you all that I''m not withholding updates on purpose. When ideas aren''ting through, you can''t force them. Anyways, the will definitely be an update tomorrow. Sincerely, Author Rever. Chapter Sixty-Eight Chapter Sixty-Eight After reviewing thest document on his desk, Rome sluggishly dropped the pen on the files and rested back in his seat. Then he let out a sigh as he slightly loosened his tie, feeling a bit of tension in his neck. A couple of minutes when by in silence. Then his office door suddenly opened and K walked in with Scar. Remaining in his current position, Rome shut his eyes and asked, "What is it?" "Well, I found out where Grey Is." Scar said. It took a moment. Then Rome woke from his seat, grabbed his coat off the rack, and wore it. After shoving his phone into his coat pocket, he walked from behind his desk and marched out of the room, and without hesitating, Scar and K followed him out. At eight o''clock the front door of the "Dark glow" bar opened and Rome walked in with K and Scar. The moment his sight rested on a built guy he remembered clearly from the hospital CCTV footage, he marched over to the stool beside him and sat down. Then he looked at the bartender when he asked, "What would you like?" "I didn''te for the alcohol, but to chat with my little friend here." Rome calmly uttered, staring at Grey. Sensing Rome''s eyes on him, Grey picked up his shot ss and drank the rest of his drink, mming the ss on the table afterward. Then he tossed a bill on the counter and said, "Keep the change." As he tried to wake from the stool, Rome suddenly grabbed his shoulder, pressing him back on the chair. Frowning, Grey red at Rome, recognizing him immediately. But he pretended not to know Rome and harshly asked, "What''s your problem, buddy?!" "What? You are going to act like you don''t know me after ying dress-up and pretending to be me?" Rome coldly uttered, staring directly into his eyes. A nervous look settled on Grey''s face for a couple of seconds. Then he sneered and mockingly said, "Someone isn''t drunk yet, and he''s already talking nonsense!" "Haha," Rome chuckled with a deadpan expression. Then he looked Grey dead in his eyes and coldly uttered, "This meeting can go two ways, with you bruised up, and I have the information, or you can keep drinking, and I leave here with the information that I need." "We have a no-fighting policy here, so I need you guys to take this meeting somewhere else." The bartender calmly intoned, avoiding K and Scar''s cold gaze. Hardening his face, Rome focused on Grey darting eyes and casually uttered, "Should we take this conversation elsewhere, pal?" For a moment, Grey stared at Rome with a look of hesitation in his eyes. Then he nce back, and fear ceased his heart as he stared at K and Scar. "What is it going to be, uh?" Rome asked. The loud music in the bar took over the conversation for a while as Grey held back his words, knowing that he had only two choices to make and yet both ended with his demise. "Fill me up," Grey said, raising the empty shot ss at the bartender. After getting his whiskey pulled into the ss, he drank it in one go, hit the ss on the table, and asked, "What do you want to know?" "Who instructed you to drug Earl?" Rome asked, studying his face. "I don''t know." "My patience is not something you would like to test." Raising his hands halfway in the air, Earl hastily said, "I''m not messing with you. What I said was the truth." When Rome threw him a doubtful stare, he calmly uttered, "I got contacted and the instructions were sent to me through message!" Then he pulled out his phone and scrolled through it for a couple of seconds before resting the phone on the table. "Take a look for yourself," Grey said, silently pushing the phone toward Rome. Picking up the phone from the counter, Rome took a look at its screen, stared at the number, and then thought, "It''s not the same contact!" "I don''t know who that person is, but it feels like they know me because the things they texted me and the pictures that I received made me believe them hundred percent," Grey mumbled. Swaying his gaze off the phone screen, Rome gazed at Earl and asked, "You are in a serious rtionship with one of Earl''s women?" "Yeah. Her name is, ''Celia.'' She''s one of Earl''s favorite women. But the moment Iid my eyes on her, I fell for her instantly, and we have been dating in secret for years. But¡­" All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "But what?" "If Earl finds out, he will have my life for that because he will see it as betrayal and as me challenging him. So when this number message me, ordering me to drugged him, I had no choice because it was my life or his." A look of disappointment crossed Rome''s face and anger spiked in his eyes as he realized that he had hit another dead end. "How did you get the exact outfit that it was wearing?" Rome asked, striving to be hopeful. "It arrived on my doorstep the day before I got the message instructing me to finish Earl," Grey said, lowering his head. "Someone rang the bell, and after I opened the door, only the box I saw." It fell silent between both men as Rome tried not to lose control of his emotions. Then he looked at the bartender and said, "Pull me a ss of something strong." With a look of concern on Scar''s face, he humbly uttered, "Boss, we can check out Grey''s home security an¡­" "Not now, Scar!" "Right, boss." The bartender rolled a ss towards Rome, and said, ¡°That''s a ssic French wine.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Rome half-heartedly muttered, grabbing the drink. After emptying the ss, he hit it on the counter, stared at Grey, and said, ¡°What did you do to Earl''s phone?" A couple of seconds went by with Grey nervously staring at Rome. Then he mumbled, "I smashed it." Ignoring Grey''s remark, Rome stared at the bartender and said, "Another!" After emptying his second ss, Rome stood to his feet and rested his credit card on the counter. A few minutester the bartender handed it back to him. Then Rome walked away with K and Scar and left the bar. "Ten o''clock," Catherine whispered, pouting slightly as she continued to stare at the wall clock. Then her gaze instantly swayed towards the door as it opened and Rome walked into the room. Seeing the look of devastation on his face, Catherine said nothing as she watched him walk up to her. After reaching the couch, Rome sluggishly sat down beside her. Then heid his head on herp and shut his eyes. "Is everything okay?" Catherine mumbled, running her tender fingers through his hair. "No," Rome whispered, "We are back to square one, and I''m losing faith that I will ever find out who this so call puppets'' master is." Chapter Sixty-Nine Chapter Sixty-Nine "Please, turn off the light." Rome moaned, covering his head with the nket as he folded himself into a ball. Frowning, Catherine tied the curtain and then approached the bed, pulling the sheet off Rome''s head. With his eyelid squeezed shut, he whispered, "Babe, no..." "Seriously, it is almost ten o''clock, and we both need to go to work," Catherine mumbled, frowning when he slowly opened one of his eyes to look at her. Hearing the annoyance in Catherine''s tone, Rome grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto the bed. Then he hugged onto her body tightly and mumbled, ¡°Can we just stay home today?" "Are you still upset about Grey not knowing who the puppets'' master is?" Catherine softly intoned, gazing into his dull eyes. "I have never felt so weak and vulnerable in my life before, and knowing that I have you mess up in all of this, is my biggest fear, not being able to keep you safe and shield you in it all..." "Hon, you know that I''m a full-grown woman, right?" "Yeah, but you are my woman, and not being able to protect you...protect us, makes me feel like I''m failing." Resting her palm on Rome''s cheek, Catherine slowly stroked his skin and whispered, "You are only human, after all, and there''s only so much that you can do." Without uttering another word, Rome buried his face into Catherine''s chest, squeezing her gently in his arms, and whispered, "I love you so much." A sudden knock on the bedroom door caused Rome to loosen his grip on Catherine. Then he turned his gaze to the door and calmly uttered, "Who''s there?" "Sorry to disturb you, sir, but ke and Brook are here to see you." Nora''s voice echoed in the room, causing Rome to sigh heavily. A whileter, Rome walked into the living room, and when Brook saw that he had on sweatpants and a sleeveless t-shirt, he gave in to his curiosity and asked, "Are you not going to work today, Boss?" "Let''s take this meeting to the study," Rome said, walking away without waiting on his men. But Brook and ze were on his tail, and after they arrived in the study, Brook shut the door. "It''s safe to talk now since this room is soundproof," Rome mumbled as he took a seat on the luxurious leather couch. A look of confusion settled on Brook''s face. Then his lips suddenly curved into an "O" shape as he stared wide-eyed at Rome. "Is there a spy in the house?" Brook finally blurted out, getting over his shock. "Unfortunately, yes," Rome mumbled in annoyance. "Only Catherine and I... well, and you guys know for now." "Do you have an idea of who the person is?" "So far, we think it could be any of our servants." "The dress!" ze shouted the moment a sudden thought clicked to his mind. With a nk expression on his face, Rome drew a deep breath and said, "Yeah, I know. A worker must have linked the photo of Catherine''s dress to this so-called puppets'' master." "No!" ke mumbled. "No, I meant, ''yes.'' But that is not all I wanted to say. Security cameras. Where are the footages of the CCTV cameras from the day ma''am dress arrived into the mansion to the time of the party?" "So much had happened since the day of the party that I literally forgot that my home has cameras everywhere, except for our bedroom, and to be honest, I didn''t expect a mole in my home so a thought like this didn''t cross my mind." "The head of security should be..." "Thomas!" The study fell silent for a second as ke rubbed his chin while darting his eyes towards Rome and then at Brook. Finally, he dropped his hand to his side and then blurted out, "If Thomas did notice some suspicious happenings in the house, he would have reported it to you, right?" "I mean, that''s what I pay him for, so yeah," Rome said, clenching his brows. "Wait, are you suspecting Thomas to be the mole?" "I''m not certain, but it seems possible, especially if he''s not reporting things that should get notified to you." "It seems possible. But what if the was nothing suspicious for Thomas to report." When ze raised a brow, Rome slightly frowned and said, "There are three servants who have ess to Catherine''s and I''s bedroom." Finally understanding the discussion, Brook got excited and suddenly blurted out, "Anyone of the three maids could have had ess to you guys'' bedroom and taken a picture of ma''am dress. Since Thomas had seen them go in and out of the room countless times, he won''t see any of the behavior as suspicious!" "Exactly!" The sound of a knock on the door caused the room to fall silent, and after the second knock, Rome approached the door and opened it. "Hey, babe!" Rome said, staring at Catherine gazing at him. "You look super loverly in that suit." "Aww, thanks, hon!" Catherine sweetly intoned, smiling cutely. Staring at her from inside the room, Brook and ze waved and then said almost in unison, "Good All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. morning, ma''am!" As a soft smile surfaced on her face, Catherine giggled and said, "A lovely morning to you two." Then she focused her attention back on Rome and raised both brows as she asked, "Are you not heading to work?" "No. Actually, I n to stay home today." Rome casually uttered, not wanting to waste her time with details. "Do you want me to stay because I ca..." "I wish I could say, ''yes!'' But your crack head cousin is at thepany, and if you stay home, who knows what kind of damages he''s going to create." "True." Smiling at Catherine, Rome rested his hand on both sides of her face and whispered, "I''m fine, and until Attorney Sam can figure out how we are going to drag his ass out of there, let''s not give him a chance to cause more chaos." "True," Catherine mumbled with a look of hesitation in her eyes. "Okay. I guess I will be leaving now." After kissing Catherine on her forehead and watching her walk down the hallway, Rome closed the study door and then his face hardened. "So, who are we going to talk to first?" ke asked, crossing his arm. "Thomas, or the maids?" The moment Catherine got in the backseat of her car, her phone started ringing, and she took a look at the name on the screen before rolling her eyes. It took her a minute to suppress her emotion and then answer the call, even though she was hesitant to do so. Immediately, a frown crossed her face as she listened to her grandfathersh out, "Do you know how mad I''m right now, Catherine!?" "To be honest, grandfather, I''m angrier than you are furious with me because I told my uncles, ''no,'' and stood my ground which I did in the interest of thepany!" Catherine said in a calm tone, yet, her voice bore bitterness in it. "If you have the interest of thepany at heart, then you would have epted your uncles'' request because they are of way more threat to thepany not being a part of it than having a role in it!" "Grandpa..." "Do you think I willingly y blind eye to your uncles and cousins'' wretched ways? I do so because it is less troublesome not acknowledging it since what isn''t known to others doesn''t hurt the family''s reputation! This family prestige is all that should matter in the end!" "Grandfather...!" "That''s why all of our skeletons should have stayed in the closet where they belong. But your husband...!" "Grandfather! Do you hear yourself! It''s okay for us to act however we please as long as our deeds are hidden and don''t bring the family''s shame!" "Yes, Catherine!" A bitterugh escaped Catherine''s lips as she tried to suppress the anger eating at her from the inside. "I don''t remember telling a joke!" Mr. Barlow coldly said from the other end of the call. "No, you didn''t. But I''mughing because of how unbelievable you sounded!" Catherine said in annoyance. "Sorry to disappoint you, grandpa, but I don''t y by your way." "If your cousin or uncles do anything to ruin thatpany and our family reputation, you are to be med!" "At this point, I really don''t care anymore." "What is that supposed to mean!" When the line fell silent for a couple of seconds, Mr. Barlow''s harsh voice echoed from the phone speaker, "Catherine!" "Bye, Grandpa!" Catherine mumbled before ending the call and sighing out her frustration. Chapter Seventy Chapter Seventy The door to the security room opened, and Thomas turned his gaze toward the doorway, swallowing hard as he stared at Rome, Brook, and ze. ¡°Thomas, we need to have a chat,¡± Rome said, staring at the screens in the room for a moment. Then he walked over to a seat, sat down, and crossed his leg over the other while gazing Thomas dead in his eyes. ¡°What do you want to talk to me about, sir?¡± Thomas mumbled, dragging his gaze to the floor. ¡°I need to view the security footages of the hallway in the east wing from the day my wife''s dress got brought into this house to the time of my father''s wee back party,¡± Rome said with his eyes still focus on Thomas. It immediately became silent between both men, and for a while, Thomas didn¡¯t utter a word which made Rome a bit suspicious of him. ¡°I¡¯m really not in the mood to keep repeating myself, so can we speed this up, Thomas?¡± Rome coldly uttered as he hardened his face. Slowly raising his head, Thomas darted his eyes away from Rome and then mumbled, ¡°Sir, the system malfunctioned that week and we lost a couple of days'' footage.¡± Then when Rome gave him a cold stare without uttering a word, he hastily said, ¡°Sir, I''m sorry that I didn¡¯t tell you. It was because I was worried about losing my job, so¡­¡± ¡°You are about to lose your job if you don¡¯t stop taking me as a fool and start talking.¡± Rome casually uttered. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m telling you the truth. I swear on my¡­¡± ¡°Which part of what you just told me makes sense, Thomas, uh!¡± Seeing that a look of rage had spiked in Rome¡¯s eyes, Thomas hesitated for a moment as he clutched his fingers together. ¡°How much did I spend on these devices and security set-up?¡± Rome asked, clenching his jaws. When Thomas didn¡¯t reply, his hand pped against the chair arm as he scowled and uttered in annoyance, ¡°Speak Thomas!¡± ¡°It cost around a few million bucks?¡± Thomas mumbled, striving to remember the exact figures. ¡°Now, tell me how my millions of dors systems suddenly crash around the time my wife¡¯s dress enter into this mansion, and somehow, you felt afraid to report this to me?!¡± Romeshed out, losing his grip on his anger. A moment when by in silent, and when Thomas didn¡¯t give him an answer, Rome felt angrier and shouted, ¡°Did you crash the system on purpose!¡± ¡°No boss,!¡± Thomas mumbled, refusing to look Rome in his eyes. ¡°Then why the hell were you afraid to tell me about the issue when it happened, and how did you have it fixed without my knowledge or financial assistant!¡± It becamepletely silent, and Brook took a long look at Thomas and thought, ¡®He¡®s going to crack.¡¯ But he suddenly screwed his face into a frown and clutched his fist when Thomas boldly uttered, ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth, boss.¡± Without uttering a word, Rome stood from his seat, approached Thomas, and rested his hands against the chair arms, drawing his face closer to Thomas¡¯s face. Then he fixed his cold gaze on Thomas¡¯ darting eyes and uttered, ¡°The message that you receiv¡­¡± ¡°You know about the message!¡± Thomas blurted out in fear before getting a grip on his tongue. Pulling away from him, Rome stood up straight, drew a breath, and asked, ¡°Did someone order you to delete the footage of those days?¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. At first, Thomas maintained his silence. Then he met Rome¡¯s eyes and mumbled, ¡°Yes!¡± Then he hung his head, sighed, and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boss. To be honest, I didn¡¯t think it was a big deal to delete the recording since it was only footage of ma¡¯am, Nora, and you entering your bedroom that week.¡± ¡°Nora?!¡± Rome mumbled with a mixture of anger and hurt in his eyes. ¡°Yes. She was the maid on cleaning duty that week, and she was the only one who had ess to your bedroom during that time." ¡°Fuc¡­!¡± Not uttering another word, Rome stormed out of the room and headed downstairs while striving to hold it all together. The moment Rome walked into the kitchen and Nora turned to gaze at him, she smiled brightly as she said, ¡°Good morni¡­¡± ¡°Why did you do it, Nora?!¡± Rome shouted, suppressing his anger as he stared at the look of confusion on her face. ¡°Do what, sir?¡± ¡°Help some stranger spy on my wife and me Why would you betray us in such a way?!¡± Immediately, the color drained from Nora¡¯s face and her hands trembled as she stared nkly at Rome and then at Brook and ze as they walked in the kitchen. Within a split second, Nora burst into tears and dropped to her knees, crying her eyes out as she rested her head on the tiles and then mumbled, ¡°Forgive me, sir. As Rome stared at her, he felt frustrated because now, he didn¡¯t know what to do with her sudden outburst and his anger. Then he brushed his hand over his face and asked in a calmier tone, ¡°Why did you do it, Nora?¡± ¡°I started receiving threat messages about my family a couple of months ago. The first text said, ¡®Your daughter just entered Greend supermarket. It will be a shame if she never takes those groceries home.¡¯ When I called my daughter after reading the message, she was definitely at Greend supermarket, buying groceries for her household.¡± Nora cried. Then she slowly raised her head, looked at Rome, and said, ¡°I got terrified, and replied to the text, ¡®What do you want from me?¡¯ And that¡¯s when I got amand from the next message to constantly report back to the same number about you and ma¡¯am daily happens in the house and also, to follow the following texts that I would get to the letter.¡± The kitchen grew awfully silent as Rome intensely gazed at her, not knowing what judgment to pass at that moment. Then he frowned and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your phone?¡± Taking it out of her apron pocket, Nora stood to her feet and approached Rome and handed it to him before taking a few steps back. ¡°We have the upper hand now since he doesn¡¯t know that Nora is busted,¡± Rome said, turning his gaze toward Brook. ¡°Do you think you can track the number she has been getting these texts on and see if you can pinpoint a location?¡± A look of nervousness crossed ze and Brook¡¯s faces as they suddenly remember what they came to report to him. After a brief moment of hesitation, Brook rubbed his neck and said, ¡°Boss, can we take this conversation back to the study?¡± There was a brief pause. Then Rome walked out of the kitchen with Nora¡¯s phone in his hand and headed upstairs asBrook and ze quietly walking after him. When they reached inside the study a couple of minutester, Rome looked at his men and said, ¡°What is it?¡± For a moment, ze stared at Brook and then looked back at Rome before saying, ¡°It seemed that Nora wasn¡¯t the only one getting ckmail text. Reporters were also receiving threats which forced them to publish the news against their will, and the detail of the news was sent to them by messages on several different numbers and all those numbers came from an untraceable phone.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rome said, feeling confused, even though he understood. ¡°Scar informed us about that a while back. But he didn¡¯t want to tell you about another information that would disappoint you, so he convinced us not to tell you and keep investigating more. But¡­¡± ¡°But What!?¡± ¡°But after digging into the te from the ck Chevrolet Cacamo te and the website that links Chloe¡¯s and you''s footage from the hotel za, it¡¯s no doubt that whoever is behind all this¡­ they aren¡¯t leaving bread crumb that leads back to them. It all usele¡­¡± Holding in his words, ze eyed Brook, and when he noticed his partner stare, he sighed softly before saying, ¡°The Chevrolet Cacamo was a rental, and the person who rented it imed that she was paid by someone to do so. The description she gives us fits the looks of the guy that was in hotel za CCTV footage, getting into the ck Chevrolet Cacamo.¡± Frustrated, Rome walked over to the couch and sluggishly sat down, burying his face into his palm as he let out a harsh sigh. ¡°Also, the footage of you and Chloe was released on an illegal website, and its sources are untraceable.¡± ze said, staring at Rome with a look of concern in his eyes. ¡°So, we are actually back to square one. With all the information that we have, we got nothing. Absolutely nothing!¡± Rome mumbled, squeezing his fists tightly. The room fell silent for a moment, and Brook looked at ze and then thought, ¡®Now, I understand why Scar refused toe. Seeing boss in this state is really heartbreaking.¡¯ After listening to the silence in the room for a moment, Rome pulled out his phone and dialed Mr. Ford¡¯s number. The moment his father answered, he firmly uttered, ¡°I think it¡¯s time to catch up on our little conversation from the other night!¡± The line grew silent for a couple of second. Then Mr. Ford¡¯s voice echoed into his ear, ¡°Come over to my ce, and let¡¯s chat.¡± Chapter Seventy-One Chapter Seventy-One Once Mr. Ondo had brought the car to a stop, K rushed out and opened the vehicle¡¯s back door. ¡°Thanks,¡± Rome said as he stepped out of the car. Then he waited for no one and headed directly into the enormous mansion before him. ¡°Good day, young master.¡± Butler Hobson said as he gazed at Rome with a friendly smile on his face. ¡°A pleasant day to you too,¡± Rome hastily replied before heading upstairs with K just a few steps behind him. When Rome got to a door at the west end of the hall, he paused for a moment, took in a deep breath, sigh, then knocked on the door. ¡°It''s open.¡± Mr. Ford said from the other end of the door. Then he raised his gaze and focused on the doorway as he watched Rome enter into the study. Without spearing a second, K hurried in after his boss and then gently closed the door behind him. For a moment, Mr. Ford gazed at Rome''s serious expression. Then he looked at K and said, "Can you excuse us?" "Yes, big boss." K hastily said before walking out of the study. Now that it was only Rome and him in the room, Mr. Ford point his hand to an empty chair before him and said, "Take a seat, son." Swaying his gaze of his father''s calm face, Rome looked at the chair for a moment. Then he walked over to it and sat down. "Here," Mr. Ford said, handing a paper to him. Without looking away from his father, Rome took the paper. Then he looked down at the names on the sheets and knew not to ask what the list was about when he saw Big Daddy''s name at number thirty. "Who are twenty-nine people?" Rome asked, raising his gaze to meet his father''s eyes. "Those are the names of people who tried to harm my family." Mr. Ford calmly uttered. "What did the twenty-nine names do to us?" "They were all involved in your mother''s death." The room grew quiet as Rome watched a look of raw anger spike in his father''s eyes, almost like he was reliving that dreadful night. "Mom!" The loud cry of his eighth years old self echoed in his ear, and Rome squeezed his eyes shut as he buried his face into his palm. "Are you good, son?" Mr. Ford called out with a look of worry on his face. "Yeah," Rome whispered, sniffing softly. Then he raised his head, fixed his wet eyes on Mr. Ford as his face hardened, and asked, "Why did they do it?" "Because they were taken orders from one person on that list?" Mr. Ford said, darting his eyes away from his son. "Who?" "Someone I vow not to speak about." "Well, you got to break that vow today, dad, because Catherine isn''t going to end up like mom. I''m not going to allow that to happen!" "I can''t talk about him, okay?!" Frowning, Rome squeezed his fists tightly, striving to suppress the anger rising in him, and said, "You can''t be serious right now!" "I am. So, I''m begging you to let this matter go." Mr. Ford said, sounding broken. "How do you fu¡­ How do you expect me to let this go when my entire life¡­ my wife''s life is a mess because of this! Uh, dad." "I promise you that I will make everything right! Just give me time!" "How! How do you n to make this go away! How are you going to do that, uh?!" Feeling his nails prating the skin of his palm, Mr. Ford lose control of his anger and shouted, "Rome, stop!!" Silence fell in the room as both men red at each other with anger in their eyes. "Please, don''t push this topic any further. I don''t want to revisit the past, so I need you to trust me to fix the present." Mr. Ford mumbled, drawing in a deep breath. "My home has beenpromised, and my workers have be spies for the enemy." Rome calmly uttered, rubbing his eyelids. "What!!" A look of fear crossed Mr. Ford''s face as he stared wide-eyed at Rome and subconsciouslyshed out, "How could you allow something like that to happen?! Did you not do a background investigation on¡­" "I did, dad, and they are clean! It''s not like my workers are the bad guys. They are being ckmailed!" "Still, You should have gotten workers who have nothing to lose and nothing topromise on!" "How was I supposed to know that some freak will show up in my life and decided to ruin my it! Uh, father?!" The silence was the only answer Rome got as he frowned at Mr. Ford and then sighed out his frustration. "If this so-called puppets'' master wanted Catherine and I died, we would have been." Rome casually uttered, sluggishly resting back in his seat. "The terrible part of all this is that I don''t know who is going to be the next puppet and what their orders are going to be." "You and Catherine shoulde to stay with me!" Mr. Ford abruptly uttered with a straight face. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "Dad," "I''m serious, Rome. Until we can get everything back to normal, you and Catherine should stay here. It''s one of the safest ces in this country. After your moth¡­ mother died, I made sure of it." Without replying, Rome stood from his seat and gazed intensely at Mr. Ford. Then he folded the sheet, shove it into his pocket, and said, "Thanks for nothing." Watching Rome walk out of the room, Mr. Ford''s eyes grew dull with sadness, and he shouted, "Come on, son. Don''t be like that!" A secondter, the study door mmed shut, and Mr. Ford held in his breath while staring at its wooden brown frame. Then he let out a breath, picked up his phone, and strolled through his number. Realizing that it was already four o''clock, Catherine looked away from the time disyed on her phone screen and then stared at her office door as it opened. Then she softly smiled and mumbled, "Hey, honey." Not uttering a word, Rome walked over to her desk, and then sat down in a chair before replying, "Hi babe." "What happened?" Catherine asked, reading his mood. "Nora and Thomas was the mole in our house." "What!!" "I''m not sure if they are the only ones whose being manipted by this puppet master. I could fire all of our workers. But there''s no certainty that the new ones wouldn''t get polluted too." For a moment, Catherine said nothing and continued gazing at the look of devastation on Rome''s face. Then she darted her gaze to the desk and asked, "So what are we going to do now?" "I don''t know." Rome half-heartedly mumbled. "My father wants us to stay at his ce. But I''m too pissed at him to make a decision right now." A looked of hesitation crossed Catherine''s face as she rubbed her thumb against her index finger. Then she mumbled, "Staying at your father''s ce doesn''t sound like a bad idea." "Really?" Rome asked, gazing intensely at her. "Yeah. I don''t mind. That ce is enormous, soo¡­" "He called you. Didn''t he?" Darting her eyes away from Rome, Catherine drew a deep breath and said, "Yes," A frown crossed Rome''s face as he clutched his fist and mumbled, "I knew it." "But his call is not why I''m agreeing to this. I think it will take off some of the stress you''ve been going through, and your father is right, hon. His ce is safe, and isn''t that what you want for us, to be in a protected area?" Catherine said, meeting his eyes. "You are okay with this?" "Yeah, I am." "But, your personal space¡­" "We stayed at my grandparent''s mansion for those years, I''m used to living with others." Grinning, Catherine''s eyes lit up as she said, "Also, I adore your father, so I''m really happy to stay in the same ce as him." "If that''s the case until we can get this mess-up situation under control, we will stay at my father''s house for the time being," Rome said, giving her a soft smile. Chapter Seventy-Two Chapter Seventy-Two After turning off herputer, Catherine gazed to the right and stared at Rome, sleeping on the couch in her office. Instantly, her lips curved into a smile, and she rested her chin, staring adorably at him as she mumbled, "Aww, he looks so cute in that position." For a while, she stayed like that, watching him without losing her bright smile, almost like she was falling in love with him all over again with every passing second. Finally, after a couple of minutes had gone by, she picked up her phone, stuffed it into her bag, and grabbed her coat off the rack. After wearing it, she approached the couch, squatted, and looked at Rome''s closed eyelids. "Hon, it''s time to get going," Catherine mumbled, tapping Rome on his arm. When she gently hit his hand for the third time, Rome slowly raised hisshes, shifted his head to the left, and looked deep into her eyes. "With everything that is happening, do you regret marrying me?" Rome asked with a straight face. Not even hesitating for a second, Catherine drew her brows together and firmly uttered, "Never!" When Rome didn''t say anything, Catherine faintly smiled and said, "I want to have it all with you. The joy, the pain, the fear, the disappointment, and every other thing thates with life, I want to spend the rest of my days with you, and go through them with you as my better half." Keeping his silence, Rome sat up on the couch, leaned closer towards her face, and said, "I swear to do my best to keep you safe in all of this." "But I want you to promise to protect yourself first," Catherine whispered with a look of sadness in her eyes. Without uttering a word, Rome leaned towards her forehead and kissed it, shutting his eyelids. "Rome, you didn''t swear!" Catherine mumbled, suppressing the suffocating feeling she felt. A whileter, the ride to Mr. Ford''s mansion was quiet as Catherine kept eyeing Rome, feeling a dull throb in her chest over the fact that he didn''t promise her like she wanted him to, and she just knew that he was willing to risk it all to keep her safe. A couple of minutester, William brought the car to a stop in the yard, and Mr. Ondo parked a few distances beside him. After K opened the back door, Catherine got down and then Rome followed her out. Even though he knew what the stares he was getting from her meant, he pretended not to know because he understood that he couldn''t keep a promise like that at such a critical time. The moment they walked through the front door a couple of secondster, the frown on Catherine''s face instantly faded as she watched Mr. Miller rushing over to them. When he got closer, he wrapped his hands around Catherine, embracing her tightly into his arms, and cried, "Oh my precious daughter-inw." Looking at his father, Rome scratched his brow as he teasingly said, "What about you dearest son that gave you a beloved daughter-inw. No hugs for me too?" When Mr. Miller didn''t stop hugging Catherine or look his way, he slightly shook his head and mumbled, "Alright. She is you guys'' favorite. I get it." A giggle escaped Mr. Miller''s lips as he let go of Catherine while she chuckled widely at her husband''s petty jealousy. "Come here," Mr. Miller heartily said, widening his arms. Then Rome buried himself in his father''s arms, and Mr. Miller gave him a few manly pats on his back. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. After withdrawing from his father''s embrace, a look of confusion crossed Rome''s face, and he blurted out, "Don''t take this the wrong way, dad. But what are you doing here?" "I invited him over." Mr. Ford said as he approached them. "Good evening, Father." Catherine softly uttered as she smiled at Mr. Ford. Immediately, his lips curved upwards into a grin, and he gaily said, "A pleasant evening to you, my dear." Seeing that Rome was still waiting for a full detailed exnation, Mr. Miller casually uttered, "Ford called me and filled me in on things that are happening, and he suggested me moving here since it will put your mind at ease a bit with this so-called puppets'' master. So here I am." With a bright smile on her face, Catherine clutched onto Rome''s arm and happily said, "Now, you have all the people that you hold so dearly in one area." "Yeah. I guess this can clear my head a bit and help me focus on finding this so-called puppets'' master." Rome said, resting his palm over the back of her hand. The evening shifted into the night, and ten o''clock met Rome awake in bed with his eyes fixed on the ceiling with Catherine snuggled in his arms. After running over all the numerous thoughts in his head, a particr one settled in his mind, " Why did Amara reply with, ''An unknown number? Of course not,'' and not asked instead, ''An unknown number? Like what kind of message?'' "Everyone receives some random texts from strangers once in a while, so why didn''t she care to ask?" Rome muttered to him. Drawing his brows together in a frown, Rome squinted his eyelid and thought, "Except she already knew the kind of message I was asking about, so she didn''t need for me to exin in more detail. Which could only mean¡­!'' Slowly, Rome drew his hand from beneath Catherine and then got out of bed. Then he took his phone from the nightstand and left the room, heading outside of the mansion because he decided that he needed fresh air. When Rome arrived on the balcony, he met K seated on the sofa with his gaze focused on the clouds. "Can''t find sleep?" Rome calmly uttered. Drawing his attention away from the moon and cing it on his boss, K mumbled, "Yes." "Me neither," Rome said, taking a seat beside him. Then he scrolled through his phone and dialed Scar''s number. The moment his call got answered, Rome heard, "Boss, I''m sorry¡­" "I understand what your dilemma was, Scar, and I''m not mad or disappointed in you." Rome calmly uttered. "You are not?" "Yes. I trust you Scar, like a lot. That''s why I''m giving you a new assignment." The line grew quiet for a moment. Then Scar''s voice echoed from the phone speaker filled with enthusiasm, "Okay, boss, I''m listening." "I need you to tail Amara," Rome said, frowning slightly. "All this mess started to happen around the time she entered into my life, and I don''t find that as a coincidence." "Yes, boss. I will start first thing tomorrow." "Scar, keeping track of Amara is your only assignment from now until this mess is clear. You understand?" "I got it, boss." After Rome had ended the call with Scar, K looked at him and asked, "You think she''s the¡­" "No. But I think whoever asked her to approach me is, and I can''t help feeling that she is more than just a puppet in all of this." Rome firmly uttered. Chapter Seventy-Three Chapter Seventy-Three The sound of the rm clock forced Catherine to squeeze her eyelids before slowly raising hershes. For a moment, she silently watched Rome fix his tie with a gentle smile on her lips. After he got done, he turned around to grab his coat off the couch, and then Rome stopped, gazing at Catherine for a couple of seconds before smiling as he mumbled, "You are awake." "Yeah," Catherine whispered, drawing the nket off her. Then she walked toward Rome, grabbed his coat off the couch, and assisted him in wearing it. Once Catherine got done, she stroked her palms against his chest, and as she was about to draw her hands back, Rome gently grabbed her waist, looking deep into her eyes. "How about after Amara, and I get done with this Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, I pick you up from work, and we go on a date to any ce of your choice?" A board grin crept on Catherine''s lip as her eyes lit up. Then she nodded and heartily said, "Yes!" A sudden intrusive thought crossed her mind causing her expression to harden a bit, and when Rome noticed, he met her eyes and asked, "What is it?" "Nothing. It''s just that I can''t believe it''s been two months already." Catherine subconsciously mumbled. "A very silent eight weeks." A frown crossed Rome''s face when he thought about it and then said, "Me either. And it''s like since we moved here, the puppets'' master has made no move, and even Charles is acting ordingly at the With a look of sadness clouding her eyes, Catherine hesitated for a moment and then whispered, "I want to feel d that we have a break from all the mess. But the silence is so loud that I can''t help feeling that a storm is building up beneath all the quietness." Although Rome felt the same way, he didn''t want to add to the fear she already had, so he softly smiled and said, "Everything is going to turn out fine, okay?" "Hmm, I know it will," Catherine said as her eyes glowed with happiness. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. The sound of a knock drew both of their attention toward the door, and then Maria''s voice echoed in the room, "Sir, your father wants you to know that he''s seated at the table awaiting you and ma''am." Watching Mr. Miller set a bowl on the table, Mr. Ford frowned and shook his head in disbelief. "What?" Mr. Miller asked as he fixed his gaze on him. "You have all my chefs worry that I''m going to fire them because you have taken their job." Mr. Ford casually uttered. "I can''t help it. Every time Catherine or Romepliment my food, all I want to do is cook more and feed them. And even though you keep telling me that it''s not my job to cook, I see the way you clear your te every day, so..." "Well, you are good at what you do." Smiling, Catherine stared at both of her fathers-inw as she walked into the dining room and then said, "I agreed to that. Your food special, father." Augh escaped Mr. Miller''s lips as he stared at Catherine with a look of pride in his eyes. Then he gazed at Mr. Ford and teasingly said, "You still want me to stop cooking?" "Well," Mr. Ford mumbled, clearing his throat. "No. Our daughter-inw''s words are urate. Everything you prepare is unique. They taste almost like..." "Home," Rome mumbled, smiling at his fathers as he stopped beside Catherine. "Well, that''s because the secret ingredient is love." Mr. Miller said, looking at his son with adoration in his eyes. Without uttering a word, Mr. Ford lowered his gaze and thought, ''If I knew I was going to have so much more to lose in the future after the death of my wife, I would have taken another path. If only the past can get altered.'' At nine o''clock, Catherine was seated behind her desk. Then a couple of secondster, her office door suddenly opened, and Charles stormed into the room with a folder in his hand. Raising her head, Catherine sighed as she red at her cousin while he approached her. When Charles got closer, he dropped a file on the desk and smirked at Catherine as she stared down at the folder before focusing on him. "What does this mean?" Catherine asked, scowling at him. Over the past month, as she and her attorney worked together to build a good case again Charles for entering thepany without her consent, she felt d that he was not all up in her face or causing problems at that time. But now that he was in front of her, she felt annoyed and frustrated because she knew it might mean that he was up to no good again. "Take a look, dear cousin," Charles said as he sat down. Then he crossed his leg over the other, gave Catherine a half-smile, and casually uttered, "I''m going to warn you though, you are not going to like what is in there. But for me, I love every single detail on those papers." Although Catherine kept a straight face, she felt hesitant to open the folder since she knew that if Charles loved what was in it, it meant trouble which she honestly didn''t want. "Charles, take your folder and get out of my office. I have too much to do to entertain such a useless conversation." Catherine said, frowning as she slightly pushed the folder towards him. "Your office?" Charles slyly asked, staring down at the file. "Yes, my office!" "Well, ording to the words on these papers, this office is not yours but mine. You should really take a look, cousin." The was a brief pause, and then when Catherine didn''t react, Charles slightly pushed the folder towards her. Feeling hesitant, Catherine frowned at the smirk on his face before looking down at the file. Then she picked it up, opened its cover, and stared intensely at the first sheet. Immediately, a look of raw fear crossed Catherine''s face, and she started hastily turning over the papers, feeling infuriated by what she was reading. Then she suddenly tossed the file on the desk, and with burning rage in her eyes, she mmed her palms on its solid wooden surface andshed out, "What have you done, Charles!" In front of a one hundred-meter in height green ss building, there was a crowd filled with politicians, top-notch business people, and other dignitaries standing beyond a red ribbon. ¡°You look great,¡± Amara said, stopping beside Rome as she smiled at him. But Rome gazed at her with a straight face before focusing his attention on the media representatives. The shes from the cameras kept going off and on as the reporters tried to get a picture of him. Then after the paparazzi had snapped a few photos of them, Rome walked away, leaving her behind. But Amara rushed after him and soon caught up with Rome. Then she stopped in front of him and asked, "You look disturbed. Is three a problem, Mr. Ford?" ¡°There''s thedy and gentleman of the hour!¡± An elderly-looking fellow happily stated as he approached them. When he stopped before Rome, he extended his hand towards him, and both men shook hands. ¡°Nice to meet you, sir.¡± Amara hastily said when it was her turn to shake the fellow hand. "I must say, young woman, you are a lucky human to be working with the young Ford." The guy said, smiling at her. "Lucky, I am." "That''s the spirit. well, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, so make sure you don''t waste it." "Of course! I n to take full advantage of this opportunity." Something about the way Amara said those words rudded Rome the wrong way, and he slightly frowned as he thought, ''After two months, Scar hasn''t find out any worthwhile information on you yet, and that only make you seem too clean not to be dirty.'' The office was silent for a while as Catherine continued ring at her cousin, striving to find the right words to put her thoughts into words. After taking his time to enjoy the look of annoyance on his cousin''s face, Charles finally said, "What do you mean by, ''what have I done?''... I just took back every single thing that should have rightfully been mine." "Does grandpa know that you falsify thepany and properties deeds to make yourself the family inheritor?!" Catherine harshly uttered, screwing her face into a frown. A look of anger crossed Charles''s face, and he red at Catherine as he coldly asked, "What do you mean by, ''falsify?!" Frustrated, Catherine threw her hands in the air and said, "It exactly means what it is supposed to mean." "For your information, dear cousin, those properties deeds are legal pieces of documents that transfer the ownership o the Barlows real estates andpany from our grandpa to me." Charles boldly uttered with a straight expression. "So what you are saying is that grandfather signed these papers willingly?!" "Of course. Don''t you see the signatures on them, or have you all of suddenly gone blind?" Without uttering another word to Charles, Catherine picked up her phone, and he frowned as he mumbled, "Go ahead, dear cousin. Give the old man a call." The cheers and the pping grew louder as Rome and Amara each received a pair of scissors, and Rome was about to cut the ribbon when his ringtone interrupted him. Looking at Amara when she hesitated to cut the ribbon, Rome reached into his pocket, drew out his phone, and answered the call. With her gaze fixed on her cousin, Catherine pressed the phone against her ear and said, ¡°There''s a problem.¡± A look of worry took over Rome¡¯s expression as he strived not to think about the worst-case scenario and asked, ¡°What is it, babe?¡± "Charles showed up in my office with thepany deed, and his name is on it along with every other Barlows property deed. "I''m on my way," Rome said, striving not to lose his cool, even though he was infuriated. After ending the call, Rome stared at the look of confusion on Amara''s face and said, ¡°I got to go.¡± ¡°What?... Where are you going? The ceremony has just started.¡± Amara said, sounding a bit mad. ¡°Start the ceremony without me.¡± ¡°Me? But I thought we were going to be doing this together since we are partners now.¡± ¡°Right, we are partners, and whatever right I have, you also do too, so you should do it or cancel the ceremony. Either way is fine.¡± Without waiting for a response from Amara, Rome walked away with K, and as she stared behind him, a faint smile surfaced on her lips as she thought, ''I guess phase two of the n has begun.'' Chapter Seventy-Four Chapter Seventy-Four When the door to Catherine¡¯s office opened, and Rome walked in withwyer Lincoln a few steps behind him, Charles sneered and narrowed his eyes. Then he stood from his seat when Rome approached him and tapped Rome on the shoulder as he sarcastically said, "Aha, my dear cousin-inw. I don''t know why my cousin called you for whe..." Suddenly a loud cry rushed from Charles''s lips when Rome grabbed his wrist and viciously twisted it. "Cather... Aughhh!¡± Charles screamed as he stared into Rome''s cold gaze. ¡°Yeow!¡± Struggling against the anguish he felt, Charles stared at Catherine with wet eyes and yelled, ¡°O!¡± "Don''t you dare put your filthy hands on me again!" Rome coldly uttered. "Do you understand?!" Unable to speak because he was on the verge of crying out the pain, Charles aggressively nodded as Rome''s grip on his hand grew tighter and firmer. After Rome let go of Charles''s hand, he scowled at Rome and then stared at the bruise on his skin. Ignoring the look of anger on his face, Rome approached Catherine and then stopped a foot away from This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. her. With a hint of remorse in her eyes, Catherine hastily said, "I''m sorry for pulling you away from¡­" "It''s okay. You don''t have to be sorry." Rome said, gazing into her eyes as he took her hands in his. "Lincoln is here. He''s my father''swyer. The best in the field, and he''s going to help us figure this out." With a mocking smile on his lips, Charles narrowed his eyes and said, "There''s nothing that your so- calledwyer can d¡­" When Rome threw him a hard look, he immediately sealed his bottom and top lip together, hastily staring away from Rome. "Are these the documents?" Sam asked, picking the folder off the table before staring at Catherine. Nodding slightly, she drew a breath and mumbled, "Yes." Not saying another word, Sam went through the file, and the entire time Rome studied his face, judging from his expression that things weren''t going to be simple. A couple of minutester, Sam shut the folder, scowled at Charles before staring at Rome with a frown on his face, and said, "Title theft is not a likely threat because it¡¯s difficult andplicated to achieve in most municipalities and states. However, it is a concern because it can, and does, happen. In this case, it has transpired." Looking back at Charles, Lawyer Lincoln slightly shook his head and said, "I don''t know how he did it, but the deeds and changes of will are real. However, if we can prove that this perpetrator of fraud mimicked the signatures, we have a strong case." "Perpetrator of what? Fraud?" Charles mumbled in annoyance, scowling at thewyer. Ignoring Charles, Rome focused on Catherine and gently intoned, "Have you called your grandfather?" "No," Catherine mumbled. "Charles imed that grandfather willingly signed these papers." "Babe, it''s Charles! Are you going to believe a word thates from him, especially after what he did" "That''s true." "Go on and call, Mr. Barlow." Rolling his eyes in the back of his head as he thought, ''Why are you guys talking about me like I''m not standing right here.'' After getting ahold of her phone, Catherine dialed her grandfather''s number and then focused on Rome''s eyes. When Mr. Barlow answered the call, she put the phone on speaker and hastily asked, "Grandfather, did you change your will and made Charles the family top inheritor?" "I did what!?" Mr. Barlow shouted from the other side of the call. "Did you turn over thepany and our family estates to Charles?!" "Of course not!" The line went silent for a moment, and Catherine red at her cousin as he stared at her without a care. "What are you talking about?!" Mr. Barlowshed out, and Catherine slightly pulled the phone away from her face. Then she sighed and said, "Charles brought a bunch of documents to my office, iming that you signed them, turning DreamTeam and everything else over to him." "I did no such thing!" Mr. Barlow said, sounding annoyed. Without taking his eyes off Catherine''s cold gaze, Charles loudly uttered, "Oh, but you did, grandpa." "What! Charles! Is that you speaking!" Mr. Barlow shouted. "The one and only." "You! You! What have you done! Uh! How did you get those deeds!" "Does the means matter? The only thing that matters here is that I finally corrected the mistake that you made! Which is, making me the family top inheritor as it should have been!" "Did you start doing drugs, boy! What nonsense are you saying now?!" A yawn escaped Charles''s lips as he listened to his grandfathershing out at him through the phone. Finally, the line grew silent for a while as Catherine listened to her grandfather struggling to catch his breath and then cried out, "My poor heart!" Then after a couple of seconds had gone by, Mr. Barlow finally said, "Catherine!" Swaying her eyes on Rome, a look of sadness crossed her face, Catherine calmly uttered, "Yes, grandfather?" "You shoulde over to the house with the documents. Also, bring that filthy rat with you!" Mr. Barlow firmly uttered, sounding annoyed. "Okay grandfather." "Please,e now." "We are on our way, grandpa." After Mr. Barlow ended the call, Catherine red at her cousin andshed out in annoyance, "You need to stop this nonsense! Grandfather sounded like he was having a heart attack just now." "I wasn''t the one who called him and got him all worked up over the truth!" Charles casually uttered. "The truth? Charles! Grandfather just confirmed that he didn''t sign these papers. So why don''t you just stop and save all of us the trouble, uh?" "There''s nothing to stop here, dear cousin. It has already happened." Clenching his jaws, Rome remained silent, deciding that Charles''s confidence was too bold for the paperwork to be fake. "How did you get your hands on these papers?" Rome coldly uttered, meeting Charles''s eyes. Even though he had a lot of rude replies in his head to give to Rome, he took a moment and said, "Just like others get their hands on documents." "I don''t need you to y smart mouth with me right now, Charles, so pick your next response wisely!" Rome harshly uttered. "How did you pull this off?!" A couple of minutes went by quietly, and feeling enraged by the silence he was getting from Charles, Rome tightened his fists. As he was about to march towards him, Charles hastily drew back, tripped over his feet, andnded his butt on the tiles, identally pressing his bruised hand on the floor. "Fuck!!" He screamed, hastily pulling his hand in front of him and ring at it. "You snapped my bones from the joint?!" "Don''t answer my question frankly, and your wrist bone wouldn''t be the only thing that I will pop from its joint!" Rome harshly said with his icy gaze on Charles. After a few minutes had gone by without getting an answer, Rome stepped from behind the desk, and Charles cried out in fear, "Catherine, get a grip on your husband!!" "Answer the question, cousin!" Catherine casually uttered. Widening his eyes, a look of fear sparkled on Charles''s eyes when Rome took a step towards him, and he shouted, "The mail! I got it through a package that was delivered to the mansion!" "Who was the delivery from?!" Rome coldly asked. "I don''t know!" "Don''t test my patience, Charles." Seeing that Rome was about to take another step from him, Charles yelled, "I honestly don''t know! I got an unknown call toe outside the fence, and a guy wearing a ck hoodie and face cap with a mask handled me the package when I got there. Then he left without even uttering a word to me." When Rome raised his brow, Charles cried out, "I swear! It is the truth. You can check the fence cams when we get to the mansion!" Frowning, Rome kept silent as he thought, ''What does making Catherine lose the Barlow''s wealth do for that freak?! Is it to piss me off, or there is more to this that I''m not seeing?'' Chapter Seventy-Five Chapter Seventy-Five Seeing that Rome wasn¡¯t focusing on him, Charles struggled to his feet and tried to walk out of the office, but Rome¡¯s voice stopped him in his track, ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡± Chills ran down Charles¡¯s spine as he held in his breath. Then he slowly turned around to look at Rome and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the hospital to get my wrist check.¡± ¡°You can do that after we go to see your grandfather,¡± Rome uttered with a straight face. Frowning, Charles clenched his jaw as he thought, ¡®If only you weren¡¯t Rome Ford, and if only I haven¡¯t seen how you body-m people, I would have given you a piece of my mind.¡¯ Swaying his gaze off Rome, Charles looked at Catherine and said, ¡°I¡¯m in pain. Can you make your husband understand that and allow me to seek medical treatment first? It''s not like I''m some criminal!¡± ¡°A broken wrist won¡¯t kill you, Charles.¡± Catherine casually said with not a care in her eyes. Frustrated, Charles hardened his face andshed out, ¡°This is uneptable! Is this why you called him, to assault me and treat¡­¡± ¡°K!¡± Rome called out, ignoring Charles¡¯ words. A few secondster, K walked into the office and then said, ¡°Yes, boss.¡± ¡°Please, escort my dear cousin-inw to my wife¡¯s car, and if he gives any problem with aplishing this task, use any means necessary to get him to the Barlow mansion.¡± The hair on Charles¡¯ neck stood as he stared at Rome''s icy gaze and deadpan expression, realizing that Rome wasn¡¯t kidding. ¡°Yes, boss!¡± K humbly said. Then he darted his eyes to Charles, frowned, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Knowing not to push his luck, Charles obediently walked ahead of K, suppressing the rage that ate at him. A few minutester, Catherine and Rome were in the backseat of his vehicle, and the ride was silent for a couple of minutes as Mr. Ondo drove. Staring at the windshield with a dull look in her eyes, Catherine sighed deeply, and Rome swayed his gaze on her, staring at her in concern. Then he rested his palm on the back of her hand and asked, ¡°How are you holding up?¡± ¡°Not good,¡± Catherine mumbled, feeling annoyed. ¡°I worked so hard for everything, and now, in a day, I have lost it all just within the blink of an eye.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, babe. If not for this entire puppet master,¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, hon. With or without the help of the puppet master, my family was still going to mess things up. That''s the exhausting part in all of this, striving to help and all they do is suppress me.¡± For a moment, Rome said nothing as he gazed at Catherine. Then when she felt his eyes on her, Catherine stared away from the windshield, gazing at him. ¡°What is it?¡± Catherine softly asked. ¡°If I asked you toe over to mepletely, it would be selfish of me, won¡¯t it?¡± Rome mumbled, staring deep into her eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± After giving her a quick smile, Romeced his fingers with hers and looked away from Catherine. But Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. she kept her eyes on him as his words rang in her mind. Finally, Mr. Ondo drove the car into the yard, and a few distances behind them was Catherine¡¯s vehicle. Rushing into the living room, Susanna stopped a few feet away from Madam Rosey and humbly said, ¡°Ma¡¯am, Miss Catherine, along with Sir Charles is here!¡± After hearing those words, Mr. Barlow cleared his throat and frowned as he red at the living room entrance. Ignoring her maid, madam Rosey stared at her husband and asked, ¡°Are you sure that you didn¡¯t change the will?¡± ¡°Woman, what are you calling me, a liar?!¡± Mr. Barlowshed out, scowling at her with rage burning in his eyes. ¡°I just want to make sure that this is all Charles¡¯ fault, and our grandson-inw has no reason to get mad at us! We can''t afford to lose his favor!¡± ¡°Do you think I don''t know that, and I¡¯m not worried too?!¡± "You think Catherine told him about this?" As Mr. Barlow was about to reply, Madam Rosey suddenly jumped to her feet when she saw Catherine and smiled at him before saying, ¡°Honey, our lovely granddaughter is here!¡± ¡°Ahaha, Catherine! Wee! Please,e and sit!¡± Mr. Barlow heartily said, standing to his feet. Then he looked over Catherine''s shoulder and asked, "Where''s Rome?" "It''s just me," Catherine said, smiling at her grandfather. "Oh, okay. Come and sit." Scowling, Charles stopped at the doorway and watched as Catherine took a seat on the couch. As Mr. Barlow was about to sit down, his eyes met with Charles¡¯ bitter expression, and he clutched his fist as he shouted, ¡°You brat! What did you do? How dare you fabricate the deeds to steal the properties from your cousin!¡± ¡°Fabricate! Steal! You got this all wrong, grandfather! The familywyer did these papers, and you willingly signed them. I have photos to prove it.¡± Charles calmly uttered, ¡°Also, isn¡¯t cousin married to a billionaire? What¡¯s the use of giving her the family properties!¡± ¡°It is because she is married to a billionaire that these properties would be profitable with her because of the connection she will get and the growth,¡± Madam Barlowshed out, pausing when she noticed Catherine scowling at her. Then she let out a nervous chuckle and mumbled, ¡°But most of all, she is hardworking and the only one who hasn¡¯t wasted the family money or stolen it!¡± Even though she was annoyed with her grandmother''s pretentious remark, Catherine kept a calm expression on her face and looked at her uncles, realizing her dad wasn''t among them, and so was her mother. Finally pulling himself away from his thought, Mr. Barlow lowered his brows and asked, ¡°Did you say Quincy did the papers, and I signed it?¡± Immediately, Mr. Barlow clutched his fist, and a look of fear clouded his eyes as he mumbled to himself, ¡°What have I done?!¡± Everything suddenly came rushing back to Mr. Barlow, and after his memories finally madeplete sense, anger was the only thing Mr. Barlow felt. The living room immediately fell silent, and everyone''s focus got drawn to Mr. Barlow when he abruptly shouted, ¡°That bastard!¡± Then a look of shock suddenly crossed everybody''s face when he took off his slipper and ran toward Charles. Before Charles could think about stepping back, Mr. Barlow grabbed his shirt and started viciously hitting him with the slipper while yelling, ¡°How could you do this to your own grandfather? How heartless can you get!¡± When Mr. Barlow hit his wounded wrist, darkness clouded Charles''s eyes, and with not a single care on his face, he yanked his shirt out of Mr. Barlow¡¯s grip and shoved him, causing his grandfather to lose his bnce and fall hard to the tile before screaming out the pain. "Honey! Madam Rosey cried as tears settled in her eyes. ¡°Grandpa!... Charles! What have you done?!¡± Catherine shouted with a look of pure fear on her face. With not the slightest bit of remorse in his eyes, Charles hardened his face, and his expression grew cold as he said, "What? You all did nothing when he attacked me! I had to defend myself!" Chapter Seventy-Six Chapter Seventy-Six Seeing that her grandfather was struggling to wake from the floor, Catherine rushed over to him. But when she extended her hand towards him, he pped it away from his face and shouted, "I can get up by myself!" "Grandpa," Catherine whispered with a look of hurt in her eyes. "This! All this is your fault! I warned you, and yet you didn''t listen to me! " "How is this my fault?!" "No one ever listens anymore in this family! But you! You should have! If you did, your idiotic cousin wouldn''t have gone this far!" "What?" Frowning, Catherine stepped back as she watched her grandfather stand to his feet. Then she darted her eyes away from him, striving to suppress the hurt she felt. "You!" Mr. Barlow harshly said, pointing his trembling finger at Charles. "It was you who set me up, and made Quincy get me drunk in the name of ''us hanging out,'' and tricked me into signing these papers!" "Set you up? I didn''t force you to drink the alcohol, grandfather! And no one forced your hands to sign those papers!" Charles casually uttered and narrowed his eyes. Staring at his grandson, Mr. Barlow''s eyes were shining with fury as he shouted, "That''s because Quincy lied about what the papers were about, and he waited for me to get drunk before asking me to sign those papers, so I can''t tell what they were!" Then he clenched his fist andshed out, "How was I supposed to guess that our familywyer who has worked with this family for years would betray me in such a manner, and work with you to con your cousin out of the family properties!" "That sounds like a ''you'' problem, grandpa!" "You bastard! Stop calling me your grandfather! I have no disappointment of a grandson like you!" Anger red across Charles'' face as he coldly red at his grandfather and said, "ording to the deeds that are in my name, this mansion and everything under the Barlow name is mine, so be careful how you speak to me, old man! I am not afraid to toss you on the street." A fit of helpless anger simmered in Madam Barlow, and she shouted, "Charles, watch how you speak to your grandfather!" "He gets to renounce me, but I can not do the same!" Charles coldly said, throwing her a hard look. "You brat!" Mr. Barlow harshly uttered. "You think you can put up an attitude after stealing from this family, you better get your sick brain checked!" Keeping silent, Charles''s eyes darkened as he watched his grandfather walk back to the couch and picked up his phone. "Quincy, you fool! Just wait! I will sue your ass!" Mr. Barlow said, strolling through his phone. "And you, Charles, you can rest assured that you will be joining Jeff very soon!" A frown flickers across Richard''s forehead as he red at his grandfather, annoyed by his remark. Then he swayed his icy gaze on Catherine and thought, ''Why the innocent expression, cousin! You are no saint in all of this! Because of you, my brother is in jail! Every time I see that face of yours, something snaps in me!'' After listening to Mr. Quincy''s number ring for the sixth time, Mr. Barlow felt more enraged, and yet, he trembled in fear as he searched for the Elite Law Firm number." The line rang for a moment. Then ady answered and said, "Hello, this is Julia on the call. How can I help you?" "Is Mr. Quincy in the building?" Mr. Barlow calmly uttered, suppressing his emotions. "I''m sorry to inform you, sir, but Mr. Quincy recently quit his job at the firm." Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "What!!" A look of concern mixed with fear clouded Madam Barlow''s eyes as she stared intensely at her husband. "Do you know where he is now?" Mr. Barlow asked, struggling to stop his hand from shaking. "No, sir. But the word around is that he left the country. That''s all I know. I''m sorry, sir." Julia calmly uttered from the other end of the line. Without saying another word, Mr. Barlow ended the call. Then he stared back at Charles and coldly uttered, "What did you do to make Quincy abandon his entire career and leave the city?!" Although he so desperately wanted to take credit for that, Charles didn''t know the answer, and he found himself worrying about who he was working with, and how powerful they were. "William, talk some sense into your boy!" Mr. Barlow said in desperation, looking at his son. Meeting his father''s eyes, he took an annoyed breath and said, "Tell him what? To give thepany and properties back to Catherine, so she continued denying us ess to DreamTeam?" "William is right. I think Charles having control of DreamTeam is what is best for us than my dear niece who can''t seem to let go of the past!" Elijah casually uttered. "I second that," Anthony said, staring at the mad look in his father''s eyes. "You all shut up!" Mr. Barlowshed out with a glint of disappointment on his face. "What best for us?! Have you all forgotten who Catherine is married to, uh!" The moment those words escaped his lips, Mr. Barlow felt a sense of relief and then smiled. Then he stared back at Catherine and said, "Can you ask your husband to fix this! I''m sure with his wealth, he can track down Quincy and bring him back here to fix the mess that he created!" A wave of sadness overwhelmed Catherine as her face clouded with a mixture of anger and disappointment. Then her expression suddenly became numb as she looked into her grandfather''s eyes and said, "No. No, I will not call my husband to fix this. It''s not his mess. It''s not mine. So why should he fix it?" "Catherine, this is not the time to act stubborn!" Mr. Barlow said in a calm tone, even though he was annoyed. "No, grandfather. This is the perfect time!" "Catherine, you are the family''s top inheritor..." "Not anymore, and you know what! I feel relieved!" Anger bloomed on Madam Barlow''s face as she said, "Catherine, you have worked so hard to get this position. Are you just going to let your cousin have it!?" "Haha, it''s funny how you guys only acknowledge my worth and work when it''s convenient to you both," Catherine said with a sad smile on her lip. "Dear¡­" "But you know what grandmother? Yes! I am going to let Charles have it all because he''s right. I''m married to a billionaire. But mostly, I am wed to a man who loves me and knows my worth! So, yeah, I''m done with this family!" The thought of losing the connection with the Fords left Madam Barlow desperate, and she shouted, "Catherine, stop thinking selfishly!" "I have tried, grandmother! I have strived to put this family first and mest! I have tirelessly worked myself to prove my worth. But not anymore. It''s time to put me first, and if that makes me selfish, I''m fine with that." "You can''t mean that!" "Watch me walk away and never look back." Hardening her face, Catherine took a long look at madam Barlow. Then she turned away from her grandparents and walked out of the living room, passing by Charles without looking his way. When Catherine arrived at Rome''s car she opened the back door and gazed at him. The entire time he had been stressed in the car but couldn''t go into the mansion because Catherine asked him to allow her to handle things alone. Quietly, Rome watched her enter into the backseat and mmed the door, even though he was anxious to hear how things went. Meeting his eyes, Catherine looked deep into them. Then she smiled broadly and said, "It wouldn''t be selfish of you to ask me toe over to youpletely." Lowering his gaze, a look of confusion crossed Rome''s face as he looked at Catherine. Then his lips suddenly curved upward when her words became clear to him. "Okay then! Catherine Ford, would you allow me topletely fund and support you? No matter what your ns are, I promise to be hundred percent onboard with you and be your backing!" "Yes! I will love that!" Catherine happily giggled. "Yeah?" "Yes!" Smiling, Rome leaned towards her. Then he rested his palm on her cheek and imed her lips, kissing her with one thought on his mind, ''Now that you are out of the Barlow''s grip, it''s time to put them in their ce.'' Chapter Seventy-Seven Chapter Seventy-Seven A yawn escaped Catherine¡¯s lips as she stretched her hands and then smiled, inhaling deeply. ¡°Someone looks happy this morning,¡± Rome said with his gaze glued to her cute grin. ¡°I guess I was worried for nothing.¡± After sitting up, he hugged her from the back and kissed her neck before resting his chin on her shoulder. ¡°I know that I should feel sad, and I am a little bit. But I feel relieved like a suffocating burden has gotten lifted of my shoulder. And now, I have the chance to start from scratch and figure out who I am outside of being a Barlow,¡± Catherine said, giving him a side-eyed. Then she drew a deep breath and mumbled, "I wonder who she is?" "Who?" Rome asked, drawing his brows together. "Who is Catherine without herst names?" "Only you can figure that out, babe, and I promise that I will be right here, by your side while you do." Resting her fingers on the back of Rome''s hands, Catherine felt her worries fade as she drowned in the warmth she felt from his hug. The peaceful atmosphere in the room suddenly got interrupted by Rome''s ringtone, and he slightly frowned when Catherine pulled away from his arms. After getting ahold of his phone, Rome''s expression softened while he stared at Catherine and said, it''s your father. "I turned my phone off because I don''t want to talk to them," Catherine mumbled in annoyance. "Should I cancel it?" "No, they will just keep calling if you do." Even though she felt hesitant and annoyed, Catherine took the phone out of Rome''s hand and answered the call, "Hello, father." "I heard what happened yesterday. Are you okay?" Edward said from the other end of the line in a calm tone. There were numerous things Catherine thought her father was going to say. But his remark left her speechless because she felt happy. "Yeah, I am fine, dad." Catherine calmly uttered. "Don''t take this the wrong way, but are you okay with Charles taking over thepany." "Well, if he is going to take good care of thepany, then yes, I am fine with him running things there." "Okay. Although your grandparents are pressuring me to make you change your mind, I am fine with that too. Do whatever makes you happy." After the call with her father ended a few minutester, Catherine looked at Rome and asked, "Are you not going to work?" "No, I''m apanying you today," Rome said with a straight face. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "O-kay. But to where?" "To a press conference." When Catherine raised her brows with a look of confusion on her face, Rome kept his serious expression and said, "I think it will be best for people to know the change in the authority of the DreamTeam, so your clients and others can be in the know." "It will look awful on my end if I just leave like that, right?" Catherine subconsciously mumbled. "Yes. So, what do you think?" "That''s a great idea. Let''s do it!" Looking into her eyes, Rome gave her a faint smile and said, "Okay, I will start making some calls." At that moment, the was a knock on the door, and a few secondster, Maria''s voice echoed in the room, "Sir, your father asked you to meet him in his bedroom." Sighing, Rome drew his focus away from the doorway and looked at Catherine before saying, "I will be back." Then he gave her a quick kiss on the head and left the bed, hardening his face as he headed for the door. When Rome reached his father''s room a few minutester, he shut the door behind him and approached the couch. After Rome had taken a seat beside him, Mr. Ford met his eyes and said, "You worked so hard to make Catherine the Barlow family top heir, tell me that you are not going to sit back and watch her lose it all." "Of course not. I know how much thatpany means to Catherine. There is no way I''m going to let her lose it." Rome coldly uttered. At two o''clock, the moment Mr. Ondo brought the vehicle to a stop in front of Refine hotel, the lights from the cameras began to go off and on as reporters waited for Rome and Catherine to step out. When Catherine suddenly drew a deep breath, Romeced his fingers with hers and calmly uttered, "I got you." Swaying her gaze on his calmly eyes, Catherine gave a faint smile and said, "Thank you." Then she inhaled deeply and heartily intoned, "Okay, I''m ready. Let''s do this!" A momentter, K opened the back door, and Catherine stepped out, raising her chin as she stared at the reporters. Once Rome got out of the vehicle, he rested his palm on Catherine''s waist and secured her in the The lights from multiple cameras remained focused on them, and Catherine kept her head held high as Rome escorted her into the building. After he and Catherine entered the hotel conference hall, Catherine''s sight rested on her family seated in the room. But she ignored their presence as she gracefully matched towards the front of the room with Rome, making sure to keep a calm appearance even though she was freaking out a bit inside. A momentter, Catherine and Rome took their seat, facing the group of reporters and others in the room, and it was silent for a while. ¡°Good afternoon. Thank you all for being present. Not to waste you guys precious time, I would like to announce that there has been a change in the leadership of DreamTeam, and I will no longer be a part of thepany.¡± Catherine calmly stated, staring at the smirk on Charles''s lip. The hall instantly grew noisy with whispering and mumbling as the reporters stared at each other in shock. ¡®I didn''t expect progress to hurt this much. But this is good! I need to grieve the pain to be able to move on and find myself again.'' Catherine thought, enduring the dull ache in her chest. After the noise had quieted down in the room, a reporter stood up and asked, ¡°May I asked what sparked such a decision, Mrs. Ford? It is no secret that the growth of DreamTeam had increased rapidly over a short period since you took charge ." Watching the look of pride on Charles'' face, Catherine met his eyes and boldly uttered, "My dear cousin thinks he can do better, so I''m stepping back and giving him a chance." "So what you are saying is that you are unwillingly leaving thepany?" "I wouldn''t say, unwillingly..." "So, you are being forced?" A look of worry clouded Mr. Barlow''s expression, and he felt a raise in his heartbeat. Then when he locked eyes with Rome, and Rome gave him a half-smile, Mr. Barlow felt nothing but raw fear as he thought, ''These questions! He''s the one behind them! Is he trying to drag down DreamTeam now that Catherine isn''t a part of it?!'' Swaying his gaze away from Mr. Barlow, Rome looked at the reporter and said, "That''s enough question. My wife and I simply hosted this conference to inform everyone that she and I have no more dealings or involvment with DreamTeam, so her absence from thepany can''te as a shock to her clients and others." ''He is butchering thepany without even making it obvious. Charles, you stupid fool! You have doomed us all!'' After the conference was over a couple of minutester, Catherine and Rome were about to get into their car when the entire Barlow family approached them. "Dear cousin, I didn''t know you had it in you to be selfless and put others'' wants before yours." Charles sarcastically said, keeping his distance away from Rome. "Shut up!" Mr. Barlowshed out, scowling at his grandson. Then he looked at Catherine and pitifully said, "Dear," "Please, grandpa, just don''t," Catherine mumbled with a sad look in her eyes. After briefly staring at her father, and he faintly smiled at her, Catherine got into the backseat of the car, and Rome was about to follow her in, but Mr. Barlow suddenly grabbed his arm, causing him to stop. When Rome looked back at him, he pitifully stared at him and whispered, "Spare us, please." Without saying a word, Rome hardened his face and slowly pulled his hand out of Mr. Barlow''s grip before getting into the car and mmed the door shut. After the family arrived home at five pm, Mr. Barlow and Madam Barlow''s phones started buzzing within a matter of minutes. Sighing, Mr. Barlow looked at his phone screen, frowning at the message notification on its. Then his eyes darkened as he read, "This is to inform you that your membership at ckLabel Club has gotten terminated." "I just got uninvited from the governor wife visit weekly book reading club, and Reba doesn''t want meing to her daughter wedding again. How dare she!" Madam Barlow said, widening her eyes as she stared at her husband. Their worse nightmare wasing to pass, and all the connection they built off Rome and Catherine''s name, they were losing it within a blink of an eye. "Suck for you two. That''s what you get for kissing up to that douchebag!" Richard casually mumbled as he walked out of the living room. "Charles, do you see what you have done! You think you are going to enjoy this family wealth peacefully with a man like Rome Ford as your enemy!" Mr. Barlowshed out. "He is going to drag you down to the mud, and because of your stupidity, you are going to take us with you!" "Nah. Richard was right. But unlike you two, I shake hands with the right people. Rome can try, but I have a powerful connection!" Charles pridefully uttered. "We can wait and see who will have thest