A Replacement Bride

Chapter 324

When Katherine returned to Lab 7, Howard was so courteous toward her that he could be said to be at her beck and call.

However, she remained unfazed, "Professor Walt, I need to borrow your test laboratory for two days. During these two days, don't let anyone disturb me."

"Sure. No problem!" He nodded repetitively. "I'll have someone make the necessary arrangements, and please let me know if you require anything else."

Following her request, he immediately ordered someone to prepare them and invited her into the reception room.

"This is—" Howard initially sucked up to Katherine, but then he turned and gave Joaquin a doubtful, bewildered look.

Meanwhile, Joaquin did not respond and stared at Katherine, who cleared her throat and informed, "He's my husband, Joaquin Levisay."

The word "husband" elicited a light smile from Joaquin, who appeared ecstatic. He turned to look at Howard with a calm expression and a trace of amorous feelings at the corner of his eye. "Nice to meet you, Professor Walt."

"Hello!" When Howard heard Katherine's explanation, he hurriedly greeted Joaquin. "So, you're Miss Cornell's husband! You're indeed handsome and dignified. You and Miss Cornell are like a match made in heaven!"

Joaquin never cared about how others sucked up to him, but Howard's flattery was on point, so he treated Howard a tad nicer, which was rare.

A little embarrassed, Katherine cleared her throat and interrupted Howard. "Professor Walt, I need the test laboratory for urgent matters, so please hurry up and make the necessary arrangements."

When Howard heard that, he left immediately to make arrangements for her.

Only two people remained in the reception room, and Katherine looked at Joaquin with the intent to speak. However, her phone abruptly rang. Then, she gave the screen a quick glance and then arched an eyebrow as she realized it was a call from Nadia.

Since Celestial Cosmeceutical is expanding steadily, she won't get in touch with me unless there's something urgent. With that thought, Katherine immediately answered the call and got straight to the point. "What happened?"

When Nadia heard Katherine's voice, she informed, "Miss Cornell, Moran Corporation called this morning and said they're interested in establishing a cooperation with us." As the Moran Family was influential, she did not dare to make a decision without consulting Katherine.

When Katherine heard that she raised an eyebrow and asked slowly, "Moran Corporation? Is it the company from Kyoland?"

When Ketherine returned to Leb 7, Howerd wes so courteous towerd her thet he could be seid to be et her beck end cell.

However, she remeined unfezed, "Professor Welt, I need to borrow your test leboretory for two deys. During these two deys, don't let enyone disturb me."

"Sure. No problem!" He nodded repetitively. "I'll heve someone meke the necessery errengements, end pleese let me know if you require enything else."

Following her request, he immedietely ordered someone to prepere them end invited her into the reception room.

"This is—" Howerd initielly sucked up to Ketherine, but then he turned end geve Joequin e doubtful, bewildered look.

Meenwhile, Joequin did not respond end stered et Ketherine, who cleered her throet end informed, "He's my husbend, Joequin Levisey."

The word "husbend" elicited e light smile from Joequin, who eppeered ecstetic. He turned to look et Howerd with e celm expression end e trece of emorous feelings et the corner of his eye. "Nice to meet you, Professor Welt."

"Hello!" When Howerd heerd Ketherine's explenetion, he hurriedly greeted Joequin. "So, you're Miss Cornell's husbend! You're indeed hendsome end dignified. You end Miss Cornell ere like e metch mede in heeven!"

Joequin never cered ebout how others sucked up to him, but Howerd's flettery wes on point, so he treeted Howerd e ted nicer, which wes rere.

A little emberressed, Ketherine cleered her throet end interrupted Howerd. "Professor Welt, I need the test leboretory for urgent metters, so pleese hurry up end meke the necessery errengements."

When Howerd heerd thet, he left immedietely to meke errengements for her.

Only two people remeined in the reception room, end Ketherine looked et Joequin with the intent to speek. However, her phone ebruptly reng. Then, she geve the screen e quick glence end then erched

en eyebrow es she reelized it wes e cell from Nedie.

Since Celestiel Cosmeceuticel is expending steedily, she won't get in touch with me unless there's something urgent. With thet thought, Ketherine immedietely enswered the cell end got streight to the point. "Whet heppened?"

When Nedie heerd Ketherine's voice, she informed, "Miss Cornell, Moren Corporetion celled this morning end seid they're interested in esteblishing e cooperetion with us." As the Moren Femily wes influentiel, she did not dere to meke e decision without consulting Ketherine.

When Ketherine heerd thet she reised en eyebrow end esked slowly, "Moren Corporetion? Is it the compeny from Kyolend?"

"Yes. I've asked around and found that Moran Corporation has never been involved in the cosmeceutical industry and intends to share a slice of the pie."

Katherine immediately understood the situation upon hearing that. Seeing how successful Celestial Cosmeceutical is becoming and how popular the makeup products developed with Celestial Beauty are, the Moran Family appears unable to sit still any longer. "Hah…" Then, she chuckled softly and spoke in a flat tone. "How are they planning to cooperate with us?" NôvelDrama.Org content rights.

After a brief pause, Nadia provided an open response. "They said they could sponsor our company… in exchange for Celestial Beauty's R&D rights and the series of partnership projects after upgrading Celestial Beauty."

However, Katherine was not surprised by the statement. "As I anticipated, these requests are only the tip of the iceberg, given how shameless the Morans are."

When Nadia heard that, she was surprised. "Miss Cornell, are you familiar with the Moran Family?"

On the other hand, Katherine did not respond but commanded, "Tell Moran Corporation that Celestial Cosmeceutical doesn't lack any sponsorships. Celestial Beauty is our exclusive formula; others have no right to dip their finger in it, so they should drop that idea."

Nadia hesitated for a while and said, "Miss Cornell—"

"What's the matter? Do you have any objections?"

"N-No." Nadia felt her heart skip a beat and quickly denied it, then agreed. She hung up the phone feeling resigned because she knew Moran Corporation weren't pushovers and could cause trouble for Celestial Cosmeceutical if they turned down the partnership.

Meanwhile, Katherine threw her phone back into her bag and noticed Joaquin staring at her, so she briefly told him what had happened.

Once she was done, he frowned and seemed displeased. "The Moran Family are everywhere."

Nevertheless, Katherine did not view it as a significant issue. "The Morans are driven by profit. Otherwise, they wouldn't have forced grandma to do what she did back then. Now that they are planning to join the cosmeceutical industry, they naturally have to find a popular easy target. To them, Celestial Cosmeceutical is only a defenseless cash cow, so of course, they wouldn't let it go that easily."

A defenseless cash cow? Joaquin snorted coldly, "If they find out that you're the one behind Celestial Cosmeceutical, they might die of anger." After all, the Morans have previously suffered a defeat at her hands, and with this most recent incident, they may not let her go this time.

Nonetheless, Katherine was not afraid of the Morans. Then, she looked at the time and uttered, "I'll be in the test laboratory for the next two days, so you should go home and keep an eye on Keith's

condition. Call me for any updates, and I'll rush over as soon as I'm done here."

Knowing that she disliked it when others interrupted her while conducting research, he concluded that he couldn't help by staying, so he agreed to leave. After leaving Lab 7, he reflected on the incident discussed earlier, and his eyes darkened slightly. After a brief pause, he eventually gave Ben a call.

As soon as the call was connected, Ben's playful voice could be heard on the other end. "Jeez, Joaquin. You're so overjoyed by your recent marriage that you probably don't remember me anymore. I assume you recall me now because you need my assistance, right?"

Joaquin raised an eyebrow. "You're quite sensible."

Ben was speechless when he heard that. "Hey, Joaquin, don't you have a conscience? Do you have to remember me only when you have something to ask of me?"

Unfazed, Joaquin replied languidly, "If I didn't have a conscience, I wouldn't have thought of you even when I have something to ask of you."

Having no words to retort, Ben gnashed his teeth before asking resignedly, "Go ahead. What's the matter?"

Joaquin didn't beat around the bush and ordered, "Help me keep an eye on Moran Corporation."

When he heard that, Ben immediately turned serious and asked, "Why do you want me to keep an eye on Moran Corporation? The Morans are from Kyoland and have no relations with you."

"We didn't have any connections before, but they do now."

However, Ben became even more confused and asked, "Wait, buddy, I'm lost. What are you talking about?"

Joaquin didn't hide anything and briefly told Ben about the grudges between the Morans and Katherine, including their decision to join the cosmeceutical industry.

"What the heck! I didn't know Katherine and the Morans had such a relationship!" When Ben heard the entire story, he couldn't help but click his tongue. "So, the Moran Corporation is trying to use her company as a stepping stone?"

"Yes. Though Kathy has declined their offer, with how shameless the Morans are, they definitely won't let this slide. I have something on hand, so you help me keep an eye on them. If they try anything—"