Reborn as Mr.CEO's Fat Wife-Chapter 834: People Should Be Clear About Their Status
Chapter 834: Chapter 834: People Should Be Clear About Their Status
Foster Newman had initially harbored intentions to blackmail the Ford family, but in reality, he wasn’t seriously injured. Instead, it was the slaps from Mr. Newman that left his cheeks red and swollen alarmingly. Upon clearly seeing the content of the agreement, his face turned exceedingly embarrassed. Yet, confronted with his father’s warning gaze, he could only tremble and scrawl his name unevenly, also pressing his thumbprint onto the document.
With a legally binding written agreement in place, Catherine Ford no longer lingered. Taking her father and Gabriel Ford, she left Foster Newman’s hospital room. Then she turned to Benjamin Jones, "Lawyer Jones, you’ve really gone through a lot of trouble for us today. I’ve had my cousin book a hotel in the area for you and the driver. Unfortunately, there isn’t particularly good accommodation in a small place like this, so you’ll have to make do for tonight."
Catherine Ford knew that today’s affair went smoothly not because she was in the right, nor because she was particularly eloquent, but because Benjamin Jones stood behind her.
Although she was unclear about how Mr. Newman knew Benjamin Jones, she could sense that Mr. Newman was very wary of him. This was why his attitude shifted so drastically, forcing Foster Newman to apologize to their family and sign such an extremely humiliating set of conditions.
"It’s fine," replied Benjamin Jones indifferently.
"Then I’ll have my cousin show you the way." Catherine Ford knew that a refined man like Benjamin Jones was typically particular about his lifestyle, and now he had to make do because of her, which made her feel immensely guilty. However, at this moment, there was no better solution.
"Okay," Benjamin Jones simply agreed, and Catherine Ford quickly called her cousin over to take Benjamin Jones to the hotel.
After Benjamin Jones departed, Gabriel Ford, who had been following Catherine Ford the whole time, immediately grasped her hand excitedly, "Sis, who is that guy? Is he really just your lawyer? He’s so cool and handsome. You didn’t see earlier, but with just a glance from him, the village chief’s legs were shaking. So powerful!"
Young boys often admire strength, and Gabriel Ford’s eyes sparkled as he talked about Benjamin Jones.
Hearing her brother’s words and glancing at the rapidly disappearing figure in the distance, Catherine Ford briefly paused, "Don’t make wild guesses; of course, he’s just a lawyer."
"Oh." Disappointed upon hearing this, Gabriel muttered under his breath, "It would be great if he was my brother-in-law. Then Sis wouldn’t ever have to worry about being bullied again."
A flicker of discomfort crossed Catherine’s heart, followed by a light tap on her brother’s head, "Stop dreaming. How could a man like Lawyer Jones take an interest in me? Besides, with today’s agreement, if Foster Newman dares to bother me and Alice again, he’ll suffer the consequences."
"Why wouldn’t he be interested? My sis is so beautiful!" Gabriel Ford grumbled, but then his spirits dampened as he thought about the man’s imposing aura, "It does seem a bit unlikely. But don’t worry, sis. If that jerk bothers you again, I’ll beat him up every time I see him." Gabriel Ford raised his fists.
Catherine Ford chuckled at his words, shaking her head, "Then you’ll have to work on getting stronger."
"I will," Gabriel Ford declared with certainty.
Catherine Ford smiled, yet her gaze lingered in the direction where Benjamin Jones had vanished, her eyes not as light-hearted as her expression.
Mr. Ford, who had been silent the whole time, noticed his daughter’s gaze and spoke up, "Lawyer Jones is a dragon among men, not someone families like ours can aspire to, especially with you being a single mother. You need to be clear on what your status is."
"Dad... Yeah, I know." Startled by her father’s insight, Catherine Ford momentarily felt panicked and called out to her father, seeking to defend herself. However, meeting her father’s gaze, she realized there was no use in forcing an explanation; it wasn’t something she ought to do. Only by honestly acknowledging one’s mistakes can one begin to correct them.
Because of the Joneses’ enthusiasm tonight, as well as the brief moment of intimacy with Benjamin Jones in the car, uncontrollable fanciful thoughts had sprung into her mind. Could his actions in late night escorting her back and dealing with such a thorny issue indicate some personal affection?
But her father’s words woke her up. One must be clear about their status.
Having met Mr. Jones today and learning about his status, she should have realized that there would never be a chance between her and Benjamin Jones.
No, there was never a chance for them from the start.
Even for someone like Foster Newman, she was considered out of his league, let alone Benjamin Jones?
Her father’s words were like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, making Catherine Ford sober up a lot. She silently followed her father to her mother’s hospital room.
Mrs. Ford had woken up and was furious to see her daughter behind her husband, "Are you stupid? You let people hit you and think you’re being noble by enduring it silently? I, Ellie Ford, did not give birth to such a coward!"
"Mom, you’ve just woken up, don’t be angry, and besides, you can’t blame Catherine; she’s also a victim," Bella Ford glanced at her sister and whispered to soothe their mother.
Mrs. Ford huffed with irritation, "You all just coddle her. I’m the wicked one, I’m the accomplice to evil..." freewēbnoveℓ.com
With that, Mrs. Ford’s eyes reddened again, especially recalling the first time her daughter tentatively mentioned her pregnancy, her explosive anger that followed, and later when Alice was born, her visit to Swallow City to accompany her daughter through childbirth, scolding her for not getting along with her mother-in-law, and the subsequent phone call in the middle of the night from Catherine asking what if she divorced Foster Newman...
What was the situation at the time? Oh yes, Catherine hadn’t finished speaking when she scolded her, and later when she received Foster Newman’s apologetic phone call, she still felt it was Catherine’s fault.
So much so that in the end, the divorce seemed like just another of Foster Newman’s threats to her.
The more Mrs. Ford thought about it, the more distressed she felt. She had never expected that the well-educated, polite young man from the Newman family, who always seemed considerate and understanding in front of them, was such a pervert; and she, as a mother, had always felt that since Catherine had graduated from an average school and Mr. Newman was the village chief, Catherine was marrying up and needed to be sensible.
"Mom, don’t be sad. Look, I’m fine now; it’s all in the past," Catherine heard her mother’s choked voice and knew that her mother was blaming and hurting herself, though she always had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
"Who’s sad?" Mrs. Ford snapped back, but her voice was choked.
"Mom, weren’t you sad when you heard the truth and had a shouting match with Aunt Newman, so much so that you fainted from anger?" Gabriel teased their mother.
Mrs. Ford glared fiercely at her son, "You disrespectful brat, why don’t you just get out, standing here for what?"
After scolding, Mrs. Ford seemed to remember something, "I want to be discharged, don’t just stand there, go handle it. Why should I lie here wasting money when I’m fine?"
"Mom, the doctor said you had a minor stroke, you need to stay in the hospital for observation and medication, otherwise it could be troublesome," Bella Ford urged anxiously.
But Mrs. Ford wouldn’t listen, "I know my own body; I’m perfectly fine. Does our family just have too much money to spend? Get me discharged quickly."
"Mom, you don’t need to worry about the medical expenses, Village Chief Newman said they would cover it," Gabriel remembered they hadn’t yet told their mother about the settlement.
Mrs. Ford, who had been feeling down upon seeing the three enter, and was guessing the negotiations hadn’t gone well, was somewhat disbelieving when suddenly her son said the Newman family would pay for the medical expenses and looked toward her husband for confirmation.
The reticent Mr. Ford nodded, "Catherine brought a lawyer, and the Newman family agreed to have Foster Newman apologize to the whole village, no longer to harass Catherine and Alice, and the Newman family is also not allowed to retaliate against ours. As for the medical expenses, consider it compensation."
"They agreed?" Mrs. Ford knew the Newman family, especially Foster Newman’s parents, who had wealth and influence from years of being in charge of the village and carried themselves with a certain grandeur. Now they agreed to publicly apologize to Catherine in the village? Seemed improbable, didn’t it?
"Mom, you don’t know, the Village Chief beat that bastard so bad, even worse than Dad did. After beating him, he made him kneel and apologize to sis—it was so thrilling, completely satisfying." Gabriel Ford recovered from the disappointment that Benjamin Jones could never become his brother-in-law and excitedly recounted.
Mrs. Ford and Bella Ford both subconsciously looked towards Catherine Ford, as if they would only believe it if Catherine Ford said it herself.
Catherine Ford nodded, "I hired a lawyer, and we have evidence of Foster Newman’s assault as well as the medical report. If he doesn’t agree to our terms, I’ll sue him. He must have been scared."
"Sue? We can sue that heartless beast?" Mrs. Ford asked, somewhat excited.
"Yeah, the lawyer said if we sue, he could get about three years." Catherine Ford answered truthfully.
Mrs. Ford sat up forcefully, "Then sue him, let that bastard go to jail!"
"Mom, calm down, take it easy." Bella Ford rushed to hold the IV bag.
"What’s there to be calm about? Creatures like those in the Newman household are a scourge as long as they live. Even prison is too light for them." Mrs. Ford spat out indignantly.
Catherine Ford knew her mother felt humiliated and wanted to get even, but she felt that the present decision was the best. Foster Newman was only twenty-seven years old; even after three years in prison, he’d only be thirty. By then the Ford family and the Newman family would have forged a death feud, and with Mr. Newman’s status in Newman Village, their family would definitely not have an easy time.
And if Foster Newman reformed inside prison within those three years, that would be well and good, but what if he became even more reckless? If he came out continuing to harass and seek revenge on her and Alice, she might not be able to handle it.
She admitted her own timidity, but as a woman who lived her life as plain as plain could be, she grew up feeling invisible, and as an adult, she lived cautiously and prudently; she truly didn’t dare to gamble.
Especially not with the future of her family and Alice.
"Coward." Seeing Catherine Ford remain silent after speaking, Mrs. Ford cursed under her breath, yet despite the verbal lashing, she knew that if they really caused a life-or-death conflict with the Newman family, the Ford family wouldn’t stand a chance in Newman Village, especially since Alice wasn’t Foster Newman’s child.
Catherine Ford gave her mother a sheepish smile, while Bella Ford stepped forward to hold Ellie Ford’s hand, "Mom, Catherine is thinking about us too, please don’t always scold her like that."
"So, I should scold you instead? Hmph!" Mrs. Ford said and waved dismissively, "You all get out. Since the Newman family is paying, I must stay in this hospital to get my money’s worth."
"Dad, sis, Gabriel, you guys go back, I’ll take care of Mom tonight," Catherine Ford said.
But Gabriel Ford shook his head, "No need, I’ll do it. You’ve been on the road for so long, take a good rest. Plus, isn’t that lawyer someone you hired? Don’t you need to see him off tomorrow?"
"I..."
"Hurry up and get out, you’re an eyesore." Just as Catherine Ford was about to refuse her sister, she heard her mother’s brusque scolding.
"Mom..." Gabriel protested.
Mrs. Ford glared at her son, "You and your father, get out too."
Catherine Ford couldn’t help but give a wry smile.
After leaving the hospital room of her mother, the cousin in charge of guiding Lawyer Benjamin Jones had just returned, and he gave Catherine the hotel address, then asked Mr. Ford, "Uncle, shall I drive you and Gabriel home?"
"Gabriel and I can just find any car to get back, don’t bother yourself," Mr. Ford declined, feeling a bit embarrassed.
The cousin who worked in the town laughed and said, "Why bother, it’s just a minute’s drive for me." Then, thinking of something, he looked at Catherine and asked, "Catherine, how do you know that Lawyer Jones? He’s really capable, he made the Newmans admit defeat just like that."
"He’s the lawyer assigned to me by legal aid, an amazingly capable and kind person," Catherine replied softly, also very grateful to her cousin. If he hadn’t called her about the incident, who knows what would have happened today.
"Lawyer Jones is a good person, you should really thank him properly later," upon hearing that Benjamin Jones provided legal aid to Catherine, the cousin immediately issued him a NoThankYou-Card.
Mr. Ford also nodded in agreement, "Indeed, we should thank him properly."
"Sis, what is legal aid?" Gabriel asked curiously, only to be looked down on by several people.
Catherine didn’t say much more, urging them to head back sooner.
Only after they left did Catherine walk towards the hotel, which, while called a hotel, was actually the only chain hotel in town and an economical one. She was particularly worried that Benjamin might not be used to sleeping there, leading her to a sleepless and restless night.
In the morning, with dark circles under her eyes, she was about to go buy breakfast for Benjamin, but just as she opened her door, the door opposite opened as well. Lifting her head, she found herself face-to-face with the same man who was opening his door.
Lawyer Jones, who had just woken up, appeared less stern than last night but still had a formidable presence. Just a glance from him made Catherine’s heart beat faster, yet remembering her father’s reminder from last night, she quickly cooled down and greeted him awkwardly, then hurriedly rambled, "Lawyer Jones, are you going back to Swallow City now? Let me buy you some breakfast; it’s a three-and-a-half-hour trip, you should eat something."
Benjamin glanced at the fair-complexioned woman across the hallway, "Okay."
Having received an affirmative response, Catherine secretly breathed a sigh of relief, subconsciously reaching for her scarf at her neck only to remember she wasn’t wearing it but holding it in her hand, catching Benjamin with an embarrassed smile, then, to cover up her awkwardness, she started introducing, "Lawyer Jones, although our town is small, there are plenty of delicious foods; I can take you to try them all."
After finishing her sentence, Catherine wanted to bite off her own tongue. Lawyer Jones had agreed to have breakfast probably just to fill his stomach, not to starve on the road; he most likely had neither the time nor the interest to tour an obscure town with her.
However, just as Catherine was regretting her words, Benjamin spoke again, "Okay."
Catherine looked up in surprise, and their eyes met. His attractive black eyes were like deep pools with an undetectable coolness, inscrutable.
Regardless of whatever Benjamin was thinking, since Catherine had already made the offer, there was no way to take it back. She had no choice but to bite the bullet and take him for a meal.
The January of Ginning Town is even colder than Swallow City, especially in the morning, but it is also more serene. As the two went out, they discovered that it had snowed last night. The whole town seemed to have dressed in winter clothing, draped in white, and infused with a sense of peace absent from the big cities, presenting an entirely different charm.
Catherine had been in Swallow City for many years, accustomed to snow that never settles, and rarely returning to her hometown. Seeing such pristine snowscapes after a long while, her eyes brightened, and her steps grew lighter. Benjamin, beside her, glanced at her lightly and silently kept pace.
