Reborn as Mr.CEO's Fat Wife-Chapter 844 Catherine Ford Faces Unemployment

Benjamin Jones was taken aback by Harmony Meredith’s reaction, but then he realized, indeed he feels differently towards Catherine Ford, which he cannot deny.

Harmony Meredith and Benjamin Jones have known each other for many years and have collaborated for just as long. It wouldn’t be accurate to say they know each other completely, but they are quite familiar with each other’s personalities. Now her nodding made Benjamin’s reaction surprising again, making her blurt out, "Could it be that you’re really interested in a married woman?"

"How is she doing now?" Benjamin Jones couldn’t clearly describe his feelings for Catherine Ford, so he directly avoided Harmony’s question. What he wanted to know more was Catherine’s situation, especially since the video without context was very unfavorable for her.

"Ha, you’re really full of surprises. Don’t tell me it’s because she looks like Abigail. Benjamin, this isn’t really your style." Hearing this, Harmony could nearly confirm that Benjamin Jones feels differently about Catherine Ford, but she still found it somewhat unbelievable. Thinking back to her first impression when she met Catherine Ford, she couldn’t help but add another sentence.

Benjamin Jones’s expression remained unchanged, "This is indeed not my style, so I did not treat her as Abby."

Harmony took a deep breath, "Alright, I’ll go inquire for you."

After saying this, Harmony dialed a number, spoke a few words after the call connected, and then hung up. She looked at Benjamin helplessly, "They said the higher-ups feel the video creates a bad image, so they decided to terminate her contract."

Benjamin Jones frowned tightly and didn’t speak for a long time.

Curiosity marked Harmony Meredith’s beautiful face, "Do you want to help her?"

"No need." Benjamin Jones answered after pondering.

Harmony shrugged; she didn’t think Benjamin Jones would have any serious thoughts about a divorced woman with a child, probably just some extra concern because she somewhat resembles the deceased Abigail.

As she thought this, Harmony Meredith changed the topic to her original purpose of the visit, "I heard you agreed to Ellis Raindream, so have you finally decided to move on and start a new life?"

"What are you talking about?" Benjamin Jones was completely baffled.

Seeing this, Harmony laughed, "You don’t know?"

"What should I know?" Benjamin countered.

"The incident of you bringing lunch yesterday has spread to the neighboring company. Now everyone knows you have a girlfriend, and that she’s the enthusiastically popular young star Ellis Raindream." The gossip was clear on Harmony’s bright and beautiful face.

Benjamin Jones, "..." It was just bringing a lunch, was it worth all this fuss? He might start bringing one every day from now on.

"We hired a cook at home." Benjamin Jones carefully chose his words.

This time it was Harmony’s turn to be speechless, "...really?"

"You just got back from a business trip and you’re this free?" Benjamin Jones couldn’t stand it any longer.

"Haha, not at all." Harmony said before swiftly leaving in her high heels.

After Harmony Meredith left, Benjamin Jones opened the first chat on his phone, hesitated for a moment wanting to ask about Catherine Ford’s situation, but ultimately couldn’t find an appropriate excuse. After thinking it over, he put away his phone and continued with his work.

...

The torturous day finally ended, and Catherine Ford glanced at the time as she packed up her belongings. She then saw Director Hopkin, who had just finished chatting with her and left, walking back towards her. He hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Catherine, come with me."

Catherine felt a jolt in her heart and got up, her legs somewhat numb as she followed Director Hopkin.

Once in the office, Director Hopkin looked at Catherine with eyes filled with guilt, "Catherine, I’m sorry, Carol is useless."

Though the words were indirect, Catherine understood immediately. Her face turned pale and it took her a while before she softly murmured, "I’ve caused you trouble."

She had initially thought that she might have a chance for promotion and a salary increase after this year’s annual meeting, so she had put extra effort in, unaware that her impulsive actions would lead to such consequences.

"The Ford family and the deputy manager have some connections, though I also have some contacts, they don’t measure up to the other side. The only thing I could do was secure your year-end bonus. You can work until the end of the month when the annual meeting concludes, or you can leave earlier. You will get everything that’s owed to you." Carol had tried her best.

"That’s already very good. Right now, it’s hard to hire people for the logistics department after the holidays. I’ll leave after the annual meeting." The current situation was the last thing Catherine wanted to see, but looking at Director Hopkin’s expression, Catherine knew she had done her utmost. Saying anything more would only damage their mutual fondness.

Director Hopkin had been generous to her over these past years, and she ought to consider her circumstances. However, her mood felt uncontrollably bleak. According to her plan, she was supposed to have a stable job and an extra $3,000 in income, which would help pay for Benjamin Jones’s meals, allowing her to save at least $7,000 a month. With the year-end bonus, she would have $25,000, just enough to cover Alice’s nursery fees for three months in spring. With subsequent salaries, she could start to improve Alice’s living conditions. But now, suddenly faced with unemployment...

Just thinking about unemployment, Catherine felt a chill in the warm office of January.

"Silly girl." Director Hopkin gently patted Catherine’s shoulder, thinking of her family situation, "If you ever face any difficulties, make sure to tell me."

"Mhm, thank you, Carol." After saying this, Catherine left Director Hopkin’s office. Instantly, her shoulders sagged, the sense of powerlessness overwhelming her. She had thought life was getting better, but it seemed that when she was most relaxed, she’d been hit hard. Truly, the poor don’t have the right to lose their temper.

Returning to her seat, Catherine bent down to pack her things. Grace Clarke approached, "Catherine, are you alright?"

Catherine shook her head, "I’m fine."

After hearing her, Grace’s mouth opened but ultimately, she said nothing. However, Rita Pansy, who had been scolded by her in the morning, wasn’t as kind, "I heard from HR that the disciplinary results are out, seems like a dismissal."

Nobody thinks you’re mute until you speak!" Grace turned around and snapped back, then looked at Catherine again, "Catherine, don’t listen to her nonsense, the company hasn’t issued any notice."

They’re giving her face because she’s been an employee here for five years." Rita Pansy wasn’t afraid of Grace.

At that moment, Catherine glanced at Rita Pansy, packed her personal belongings into a small bag, and stopped Grace, who was about to rush up and start a fight, "Let’s go."

A fallen tiger is bullied by dogs, let alone someone who’s not even a tiger.

Seeing this, Grace resentfully muttered about the small-minded triumphing, then caught up with the worried Catherine and asked, "Sister Catherine, what are you planning to do next?"

"No plans yet, I’ll just finish handing over my current tasks." Catherine forced a smile, and as the elevator filled with other people, she fell silent, feeling every glance directed at her and simply continued.

Upon leaving the company, just reaching the subway entrance, Catherine remembered her arrangement with Benjamin Jones and thought it over before sending him a message with her head down, "Lawyer Jones, I’m at the subway entrance now. Heading back to Rose Valley first. Is there anything specific you’d like for dinner?"

Beep beep beep...

Just after she had sent the message, she heard a series of beeps from a horn. Assuming she was blocking someone else’s car, she quickly turned around and saw a familiar car parked by the roadside. Then, the car window rolled down, revealing an incredibly handsome face, "Get in."

Benjamin Jones’s voice carried its usual assertive, undeniable authority.

Catherine Ford hurriedly looked around, confirming that Grace Clarke had already left to take another vehicle and that there were no other acquaintances around before she quickly opened the car door and slipped inside, then cautiously called out, "Lawyer Jones."

Watching her act like a thief, Benjamin Jones didn’t know whether to laugh or be angry. Others would proudly announce sitting in his car; she, on the other hand, seemed desperately afraid of others finding out.

"Let’s go." Irrespective of his internal tsukkomi, Benjamin Jones’s expression remained unchanged as he typically instructed Reed.

Once the car started moving away from the company building, Catherine Ford finally relaxed. To avoid an overly awkward atmosphere, she took the initiative to speak, "Lawyer Jones, what would you like to eat tonight?"

Benjamin Jones glanced at her, trying to see the desolation and confusion he had seen in the car earlier, but the woman beside him had managed to conceal her emotions very well. Her pretty and clean face showed nothing but politeness and dedication.

For no reason, Benjamin Jones’s mood turned very sour.

He didn’t know if other women also liked to act strong, or maybe he wasn’t the person before whom she could show her vulnerabilities. Yet, clearly, they have a three-and-a-half-year-old daughter!

Today, he had checked what happened four years ago, about the time Catherine Ford had just started at LG not long before and, coincidentally, had just broken up with her boyfriend. According to his theory, the stimulation from her ex-boyfriend led her to seek fun in a nightclub. By chance, because of Abby, he followed Jeffrey Foster to Gills City under emotional strain, and in the dim bar lights, he mistook her for Abby and confusedly had relations with her. When he woke up Catherine Ford was nowhere to be seen, his hangover hadn’t even cleared before he was summoned to the airport by a call. Later pondering over that night, he thought it was just a nonsensical dream caused by his long-suppressed feelings.

Unexpectedly, that night was not a dream, but he was still curious whether Catherine Ford was sober at that time?

"Lawyer Jones?" After Catherine Ford asked and received no response from Benjamin Jones, who continued to stare at her face, she softly called out again feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"I don’t have much of an appetite today, let’s just have something simple, some noodles will do," Benjamin Jones responded, coming back to his senses. He didn’t want to see her forcing a smile while feeling awful, making noodles seemed simplest.

Unaware of Benjamin Jones’s thoughts, Catherine Ford quickly agreed, then waited for him to settle down and stop looking at her before she sneakily took out a small mirror from her bag, and checked her reflection from all angles to make sure there was nothing on her face before putting it away.

Benjamin Jones caught a glimpse of Catherine Ford’s actions from the corner of his eye, slightly raising his eyebrow, thinking that she finally seemed like a normal girl. He had seen her data; she was only twenty-six this year.

Upon reaching Rose Valley, Benjamin Jones didn’t have Reed drive back to the villa directly, but instead went to the property management to pick up Alice first.

Having not seen her mother for most of the day, Alice ran towards Catherine Ford as soon as she saw her, "Mommy!"

Catherine Ford hugged her daughter, lowered her head to rub against the little one’s forehead, and gently asked, "What did Alice do here today? Did you have fun? Did you make any new friends?"

Alice was about to answer but then noticed Benjamin Jones slowly following behind Catherine Ford, and immediately let go of her mommy and rushed towards Benjamin Jones, "Uncle Jones, did you come with mommy to pick Alice up?"

"Mmm." Benjamin Jones reached out his arms to pick up Alice.

The joy on Alice’s face intensified, she reached out to hug Benjamin Jones’s neck, "Thank you, Uncle Jones."

Catherine Ford stood by with a gentle smile, but her heart was filled with a bittersweet ache. At that moment, Alice’s teacher stepped forward to compliment, "Alice is very well-behaved and understanding. You and your husband have taught her well."

"Ah, that’s not actually..." Catherine blushed deeply upon hearing this and was about to explain when she was interrupted by the man holding Alice, "Let’s go, Reed is waiting for us."

The teacher smiled and watched them leave.

Up ahead, Benjamin Jones was holding Alice, both seemingly unaware of the teacher’s words, leaving Catherine alone in her awkwardness.

She thought about it and felt it would be odd to explain now, so she could only follow the two.

It wasn’t until they were in the car that Alice returned to Catherine’s question.

After hearing her daughter’s words, Catherine’s heavy and awful mood finally eased a bit.

The three of them went straight to Benjamin Jones’s villa, where Catherine took charge of cooking, while Benjamin played with Alice.

Catherine couldn’t help peeking over several times, and she saw the two playing with a Rubik’s cube, thoroughly enjoying themselves and looking unexpectedly alike because they were doing the same thing at the same angle.

Catherine’s heart skipped a beat, then she shook her head. Alice had seen Benjamin so many times and he hadn’t noticed anything. Even when Mrs. Jones remarked on their resemblance, he didn’t think much of it. It must be her own guilty conscience making her nervous.

After reassuring herself, Catherine focused on her cooking. She had prepared the chicken in the morning, and the villa had high-tech equipment, so on her way back, she had started the induction cooker; by now, the chicken soup was already fragrant. Benjamin wanted noodles, she thought about it and decided to make handmade ones, starting with kneading the dough repeatedly, ensuring the noodles would turn out firm and chewy.

After the preparation, Catherine took out the simmered hen, carved off the meatiest parts, and made a cold chicken-shred salad. She then opened the fridge, chose two more dishes to prepare, and finally used part of the chicken soup to cook the noodles.

Soon, the chicken mushroom noodles were ready, served with cold chicken strips, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and spicy shrimp on the dining table.

When Benjamin looked up and saw Catherine wearing an apron and serving the dishes, then glanced at Alice intensely focused on the Rubik’s cube, the feeling of home was especially intense. At that moment, Catherine naturally called out to them, "Dinner’s ready, you two stop playing and come eat."

The tenderness made Benjamin feel a longing affection.

"Wow, Lawyer Jones, I’ve solved it!" Just then, Alice exclaimed happily and then, proud of her achievement, ran to Catherine with the Rubik’s cube, "Mommy, look."

Not just Catherine, even Benjamin was slightly surprised. He had only taught the little girl a few tricks, not expecting her to solve it so quickly, especially since she was only three and a half years old.

A pride associated with honor welled up in Benjamin, and he couldn’t help but watch the mother and daughter while eating.

Because of yesterday’s discussion and deal, Catherine was no longer awkward today. With Alice, she sat at the dining table eating with Benjamin, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, she gently asked, "Lawyer Jones, is there a dish that doesn’t suit your taste?"

"The flavor is very good," Benjamin affirmed promptly. The soup was thick, the noodles chewy; he hadn’t had such delicious noodles in a long time, the chicken was flavorful, the cauliflower crisp and sweet, the shrimp crispy on the outside and tender inside, every dish was to his liking. But what he wanted to talk about was different, "Do you know how smart Alice is?"

Catherine tensed up, somewhat at a loss as she looked at Benjamin, wondering what he was trying to say?