A Billionaire In Disguise novel 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, glaring 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 dollars 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 plate, 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.

“Slandering 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, Blake 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.” Blake 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 accusations at my daughter!” Elijah yelled, standing from his chair in a fate of rage.

“Why can't he if it's the truth! You and your daughter can slander my child's name, but she can't be accused of something she did!” Catherine's father shouted, tightening his fists.

‘Punish? I have never been punished by my grandfather before.’ Chloe thought, glaring at Catherine.

“You are laid off from work for two months and doing that time, you wouldn't get paid. Also, your black 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, Blake's mother's hospital bill has been paid for and she will be prep for surgery tomorrow.” Mr. Orlando'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 necklace 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 dollars,” 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 necklace 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.