Reborn as Mr.CEO’s Fat Wife
Chapter 885: How Did Catherine Ford Do It!

Chapter 885: Chapter 885: How Did Catherine Ford Do It!

Catherine Ford’s wrist was gripped painfully, and the water from her cup spilled all over her, her brows knitting together as she looked towards Grace Clarke.

Grace Clarke hurriedly blurted out everything about Toby Price’s threats to her.

The more Catherine listened, the deeper her frown became. "His behavior is illegal, you can totally sue him."

"The Chen family has an extraordinary background, I can’t possibly win against him, Catherine, please help me out," Grace Clarke pleaded with teary eyes.

Catherine’s expression was far from good, "I’m afraid I can’t help you with this."

"How come? You just need to ask Lawyer Jones to speak a word for me, Toby Price has always been wanting to flatter Lawyer Jones, as long as Lawyer Jones speaks up, he will definitely let me go!" Grace Clarke said urgently.

Catherine looked at Grace Clarke with a complex expression, "I’m sorry."

It wasn’t that she was heartless; Deputy Director Helin going to such lengths to get close to Benjamin Jones likely wasn’t without reason. The so-called word from Grace Clarke might cost Benjamin something significant that Catherine wasn’t aware of.

If it were before, she might have asked Benjamin for Grace, but now she didn’t feel an obligation to do so.

Grace Clarke didn’t expect Catherine to refuse so directly. She was stunned at first, then her eyes reddened even more with infinite grievances. "Catherine, you can’t do this to me. We’ve always had the best relationship in the company, is this how you treat a friend? I admit I did wrong this time, but are you completely blameless?"

Catherine intended to leave, her footsteps halted, but then continued to walk forward. Perhaps she was indeed at fault in this matter, but if it meant making things difficult for Benjamin on behalf of Grace, she couldn’t do it.

As for herself, she probably wouldn’t be able to help, either.

"Catherine Ford!" Grace Clarke saw Catherine was truly leaving, and out of desperation, she yelled so loudly that the entire tea room seemed to shake, but Catherine didn’t stop.

Grace Clarke became frantic. "Are you really going to just stand by and watch me perish? Is it that you’ve never regarded me as a friend?"

This time Catherine turned around, looking at the emotionally broken Grace Clarke, "Have you ever considered me a friend?"

Grace Clarke’s body stiffened.

Catherine didn’t pay any further attention to her and went straight back to her desk, but she couldn’t seem to settle down to continue reading her draft. The thought that surfaced in her mind was something she had seen on Twitter before, roughly meaning that she always felt insufficient as a friend— not gentle enough, not considerate enough, not fiercely loyal enough. She often reflected on herself. But later she realized it was an overthought; they simply never considered you a friend to begin with.

At this moment, that was exactly how she felt.

She felt even more disheartened than yesterday.

Grace Clarke’s apology had a clear purpose; if it wasn’t to have Catherine seek help from Benjamin, would she have come at all?

Catherine let out a slight sigh, took a good while to decide, and sent a message to the man, "Any good lawyers you can recommend on your side? With decent ability and reasonable fees."

Rather than Benjamin, Catherine felt what Grace needed more was a good lawyer.

After sending the message, Catherine felt somewhat anxious, but soon she received a reply, "Asking for Grace Clarke?"

Looking at these five characters, Catherine was a bit stunned, genuinely wondering if the man had bugged her somehow. She couldn’t help but reply with a string of question marks.

"Just focus on your hosting script, I’ll handle this matter." Benjamin Jones had already had yesterday’s incident investigated and knew exactly what Toby Price was up to. The moment Grace Clarke went to see Catherine Ford, he promptly received news about it.

If it weren’t for the fact that this matter involved him, and he also took the opportunity to deal with Catherine’s self-righteous first love, he couldn’t be bothered to intervene.

However, Catherine was unaware of all this. Seeing the message from him made her a bit nervous, "I’ve heard from Grace Clarke that the Chen family is not simple. You better not get involved in this."

"Are you concerned about me?" Benjamin Jones delightedly raised his eyebrows upon seeing Catherine’s message.

His words made Catherine blush slightly, "Not at all." It was just that she didn’t want to cause trouble for him.

"I think you are. Don’t worry, I don’t take a family like the Chen’s seriously. Your boyfriend is not as weak as you think." Benjamin Jones looked at the words ’your boyfriend’ and sent the message with satisfaction.

Catherine stared at those three words for a long time upon receiving the message, and then her lips curved upwards, no longer expressing any refusal.

Putting away her phone, Catherine stopped getting distracted by random thoughts and concentrated on her own tasks.

After lunch, Director Hopkin personally took her to get styled.

This news quickly spread and became a topic of discussion in the company’s group chat.

Many people didn’t have a strong impression of Catherine; if it weren’t for her previous argument with Anna Ford, which involved Benjamin, she might have gone unnoticed. It was only after she was suddenly revealed to be Benjamin’s girlfriend that everyone truly started paying attention to her.

Someone couldn’t help but ask, "Has the company gone mad to please Lawyer Jones from Universal? Catherine Ford is just an ordinary logistics staffer; her hosting the annual meeting is asking for trouble!"

"I think so too. Even if Lawyer Jones is powerful, the senior management doesn’t need to suck up like this, right?"

"Exactly, it’s the annual meeting. Doesn’t LG have any consideration?"

"Tsk, tsk, who knows!"

"..."

Upon receiving the news that she was replaced, Anna Ford was fuming. Now finding out that it was Catherine who took her spot and seeing everyone’s comments, she scoffed coldly, "Catherine Ford, do you really think being one letter short of my name makes you me? Let’s see how you embarrass yourself today!"

Catherine was completely oblivious to everyone’s gossip.

Because the host was originally Anna, with her high demands, the company’s selected styling studio was quite renowned. After three hours of meticulous preparation, the moment Catherine appeared in her gown, even Carol Hopkin, as a woman, was stunned in place. She suddenly understood how Lawyer Jones, a man of such distinction, could have taken a fancy to Catherine Ford.

What an eye for talent!

After three hours of hair and makeup, Catherine, who originally had a clean and pleasant look, seemed like a completely different person. Her medium-length black hair was dyed to a light brown and styled into a bun, leaving her entire face exposed. Her forehead was smooth, while a few playful curls framed her face, adding liveliness to her elegant appearance. Her skin, already fair, now seemed to glow even more, her makeup was exquisite, and then there was her figure.

Anna, to highlight her own good figure, had chosen a purple mermaid dress. Initially, Director Hopkin worried Catherine might not be able to pull it off, but now she realized she had been needlessly concerned!

Not only did Catherine pull it off, but her figure was even better than Anna’s, quite simply a siren among mortals. Director Hopkin pursed her lips, feeling a mixture of envy and jealousy - the girl had hidden her true self too well.

"Does it not look quite right?" Seeing that Director Hopkin remained silent for so long, Catherine asked somewhat worriedly.

Director Hopkin said, "Were those work clothes you usually wear intentionally oversized? With that waist and those hips, even if you were a man, I’d pick you."

Catherine Ford, "..."

What’s with that expression, Carol?

"Let’s leave it at that. Our Catherine is going to shine bright tonight. After this, let’s see who dares to say she’s not good enough for Lawyer Jones!" Director Hopkin also followed office gossip and knew that people struggled to understand why Catherine Ford was Lawyer Jones’s girlfriend.

But she believed that after tonight, those gossips would think twice before wagging their tongues.

Catherine Ford’s cheeks flushed a bit from Carol’s teasing, "Please don’t make fun of me."

Sensing her shy yet beautiful embarrassment, Carol Hopkin nodded appreciatively, "I’m only speaking the truth."

"It’s getting late; we should head back," Catherine urged, worried Carol might keep teasing.

Carol Hopkin, however, wasn’t ready to let it go, "In such a rush to see your Lawyer Jones, huh?"

"Not at all." Catherine Ford stamped her foot lightly, all girlish charm on display.

Carol Hopkin laughed heartily, "Hahaha, alright, let’s go."

By the time they arrived at the venue for the company event, it was nearly six o’clock and everything was ready, just waiting to start.

Catherine Ford was escorted by Carol Hopkin to the backstage area.

Most of the backstage crew were logistics staff. Upon seeing Carol leading in an exceptionally beautiful woman, it took them a moment to recognize that it was Catherine Ford, until Lewis exclaimed softly, "Cath... Catherine Ford?"

"How’s the preparation going? Have all the colleagues from other departments arrived for their performances?" Without noticing Lewis’s tone, Catherine came in and saw everyone was busy, so she casually asked.

But after speaking, no one answered her. Catherine turned around in confusion, only to find everyone staring at her dumbfounded.

Feeling their gaze, Catherine remembered she was dressed up in formal attire with makeup on, her cheeks reddened, "What are you staring at? Haven’t you seen me before?"

"Indeed, we haven’t," Lewis heard the sound of his own gulp.

The others also nodded, still in a daze.

Catherine Ford usually appeared bare-faced in the office. While others might at least apply some foundation or lipstick, she wore the loose-fitting uniform of the logistics department all year round and never wore makeup. Although everyone knew she was not bad-looking, they were accustomed to her plain face and didn’t pay much attention, no matter how pretty she was.

But now it was different. Catherine Ford was fully made up and dressed in a fishtail gown that highlighted her figure, stunning everyone. This was not the Catherine Ford they knew; she had transformed from a duckling to a swan.

It wasn’t just a group of men who were affected; even the most critical Rita Pansy couldn’t find any fault upon seeing Catherine stand out so much. She could only snort sourly, cursing Benjamin Jones internally and thinking to herself that all men are indeed visual creatures, Lawyer Jones being no exception.

Previously, she had been puzzled why Benjamin Jones showed no interest in the beautiful Ellis Raindream, but now that she thought about it, Ellis was just better at dressing up than Catherine. Without makeup, she was no match for Catherine.

"Now that you’ve seen it, stop dawdling and get back to work," Catherine said with a light laugh, reminding everyone to keep busy after hearing Rita’s snort.

Everyone snapped back to reality, many annoyed at themselves for not recognizing Catherine Ford’s talent earlier and now regretting it too late to seize the opportunity.

Catherine Ford, hearing everyone’s grumbling, shook her head helplessly and turned to communicate with other managers.

The hotel laid out a buffet, and everyone gradually made their way to the venue for dinner around 6:30 pm.

The annual party officially started at 7 pm.

Benjamin Jones was invited to sit in the front row with his siblings, while other senior executives took their seats on either side.

Other employees sat behind them, with each department grouped together because aside from individual acts, there was also a group performance for each department. In total ten acts were scheduled, with interactive prize draws interspersed in the middle and at the end, featuring an array of bountiful prizes.

Media were also invited to the event, adding to the liveliness.

Benjamin Jones leaned back in his chair, exuding an aura of distant detachment, warding off any attempts of conversation from men and women alike. Only Gene Meredith by his side curiously asked, "Why are you interested in attending such a boring event this year?"

"Boring? Aren’t you attending too?" Benjamin Jones replied lazily, noting that the stage lights were ready, suspecting that his little lady was about to perform.

"Ha, but that’s different. I’m a mere mortal, I can’t compare with you," Gene Meredith said sincerely. When has the man before him ever deigned to attend such company events? Gene Meredith heard from Harmony Meredith that Benjamin hadn’t even attended Universal’s parties, but today he showed up at LG’s, which made him believe some of the recent rumors.

Upon hearing this, Benjamin Jones glanced sideways at his friend, uninterested in responding, his attention focused entirely on the stage.

Seeing this, Gene Meredith looked up and saw a beautiful figure gracefully taking the stage. He raised an eyebrow in surprise. When did LG have such a beauty, and how had he never seen her before?

As a president, Gene Meredith naturally didn’t meddle with annual party affairs. He turned to look at Benjamin Jones beside him, seeing his friend, who was rumored to be indifferent to women, now fixedly gazing at the stage, his eyebrows slightly raised. Turning his gaze to Catherine Ford, he couldn’t help but scrutinize her more closely.

As soon as Catherine Ford stepped on stage, she felt that familiar gaze from below. She looked over and met Benjamin’s somewhat startled eyes, her heart skipping a beat momentarily. However, she quickly regained composure and directed her gaze into the void, beginning with the standard host’s tone, "Respected leaders, dear colleagues, good evening, today is..."

Catherine Ford’s voice wasn’t exceptionally outstanding, but it was sweet and melodious, not cloying despite its tenderness. As she began to speak, like a gentle spring breeze, she involuntarily attracted everyone present.

The crowd who had been waiting to scoff was stunned. Was this the same country girl?

From below, Benjamin Jones watched the person on the stage, his posture seemingly relaxed but his expression intent, a stark contrast to his usual stern demeanor, which made Harmony Meredith’s eyes darken with emotions from across the seat.

Feeling his sister’s mood, Gene Meredith turned and whispered so that only the two of them could hear, "Have you accepted it now? If you have, then go find someone to love and marry. Don’t worry our parents."

Harmony Meredith neither nodded nor shook her head, merely following Benjamin’s gaze towards the woman on stage, who, in her eyes, had previously been worthless. She already knew earlier that evening that LG had replaced the host with Catherine Ford, and she scoffed inwardly. An inexperienced staff member from the logistics department taking on such a role at the last minute was bound to screw up the show, she thought. However, Catherine’s performance had utterly defied her expectations.

In truth, Catherine Ford’s performance had exceeded many people’s expectations.

Anna Ford, wearing a cap and adorned with a face mask and sunglasses, nearly turned her back in rage as she saw the dazzling Catherine Ford on stage. She came to watch Catherine’s embarrassing performance, but to her utter shock, the bumpkin stood on stage looking so beautiful and confident. She could feel the surrounding people’s awed gazes, igniting a jealousy that burned her up inside. How could it be? How did she manage that?

Not far from Anna Ford sat Nancy Newman and Kyle Carter, who had sneaked in to find Grace Clarke to collect a debt. They blended in unnoticed amongst the crowd and, despite failing to find Grace Clarke, were invited by unrecognizing staff to take a seat at the back. Now, both of them stared at Catherine Ford on the stage. Kyle Carter was uncontrollably astounded, while Nancy Newman was beyond disbelief. She couldn’t fathom that the person on stage was Catherine Ford. How was that possible?

What Nancy Newman found even more impossible to accept was Kyle Carter’s astounded and mesmerized gaze. With resentment, she raised her phone to record. She knew her cousin had arrived in Swallow City today.

Catherine Ford wanted to make a clean break with the past, right? Nancy Newman didn’t believe that Benjamin would still like Catherine after discovering her past with Foster Newman!

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