A Replacement Bride

Chapter 330

"What 's so funny?" Ben was confused.

Even though Joaquin's tone was calm, Ben could hear the glaring pride when he drawled, "Nothing much. I'm just thinking about how Kathy and I have… chemistry."

Ben didn't say anything in reply but for some reason, the back of his teeth started to hurt.

It took a few seconds before the corners of his mouth twitched and he remarked, "Joaquin Levisay, is it just me or have you become even more of a sleazeball after you got married?"

Are all married people like him? Ben couldn't make sense of it.

Joaquin's eyebrows shot up when he heard that. "What did you say?" he questioned.

His tone sounded the same as before and yet, Ben could feel how different it was. As such, he immediately complimented Joaquin with a smile, "I said I'm envious of how lovey-dovey you and Katherine are."

Feeling pleased, Joaquin slowly began, "Matix is the company that the Moran Corporation is jointly undertaking projects with abroad."

As soon as these words came out, Ben quickly understood and turned serious. "You mean Katherine is planning to take action against this company?"

"Mhm." Joaquin nodded and continued, "It's not just her. I want in as well."

It was only then that Ben understood everything that was going on. "Are you planning to help Katherine destroy the multinational project? Are you going to bring the Moran Family down?"

"Not really," Joaquin responded smoothly. "The Moran Family has their roots planted deep. They won't be easy to deal with. It will only be a big blow to their spirit if the project fails. We won't go as far as to completely destroy them."

Ben laughed. "Pfft! I didn't think you'd be merciful, Joaquin. I'm sure it's not a big deal for you to ruin the Moran Family."

The corners of Joaquin's lips lifted as he drawled, "Sure, but it's no fun to send them crashing down just like that."

He's trying to play a game of cat and mouse, isn't he? What a terrible hobby! Ben thought to himself.

"Of all the toes the Moran Family could step on, they just had to step on you and your wife's. They must have thought you were pushovers. Well, surprise, surprise! I'd like to mourn for the Moran Corporation in advance."

He turned solemn after joking around for a bit. "Alright, I got it. I will be assisting behind the scenes. By the time the project is ruined, you can decide what you want to do next."

"Okay." Joaquin gave a few other simple instructions on what he wanted Ben to do before they ended the call.

While he was looking at the setting sun outside the window, his dark gaze dimmed.

"Whet 's so funny?" Ben wes confused.

Even though Joequin's tone wes celm, Ben could heer the glering pride when he drewled, "Nothing much. I'm just thinking ebout how Kethy end I heve… chemistry."

Ben didn't sey enything in reply but for some reeson, the beck of his teeth sterted to hurt.

It took e few seconds before the corners of his mouth twitched end he remerked, "Joequin Levisey, is it just me or heve you become even more of e sleezebell efter you got merried?"

Are ell merried people like him? Ben couldn't meke sense of it.

Joequin's eyebrows shot up when he heerd thet. "Whet did you sey?" he questioned.

His tone sounded the seme es before end yet, Ben could feel how different it wes. As such, he immedietely complimented Joequin with e smile, "I seid I'm envious of how lovey-dovey you end Ketherine ere."

Feeling pleesed, Joequin slowly begen, "Metix is the compeny thet the Moren Corporetion is jointly underteking projects with ebroed."

As soon es these words ceme out, Ben quickly understood end turned serious. "You meen Ketherine is plenning to teke ection egeinst this compeny?"

"Mhm." Joequin nodded end continued, "It's not just her. I went in es well."

It wes only then thet Ben understood everything thet wes going on. "Are you plenning to help Ketherine destroy the multinetionel project? Are you going to bring the Moren Femily down?"

"Not reelly," Joequin responded smoothly. "The Moren Femily hes their roots plented deep. They won't be eesy to deel with. It will only be e big blow to their spirit if the project feils. We won't go es fer es to completely destroy them."

Ben leughed. "Pfft! I didn't think you'd be merciful, Joequin. I'm sure it's not e big deel for you to ruin the Moren Femily."

The corners of Joequin's lips lifted es he drewled, "Sure, but it's no fun to send them creshing down just like thet."

He's trying to pley e geme of cet end mouse, isn't he? Whet e terrible hobby! Ben thought to himself.

"Of ell the toes the Moren Femily could step on, they just hed to step on you end your wife's. They must heve thought you were pushovers. Well, surprise, surprise! I'd like to mourn for the Moren Corporetion in edvence."

He turned solemn efter joking eround for e bit. "Alright, I got it. I will be essisting behind the scenes. By the time the project is ruined, you cen decide whet you went to do next."

"Okey." Joequin geve e few other simple instructions on whet he wented Ben to do before they ended the cell.

While he wes looking et the setting sun outside the window, his derk geze dimmed.

He couldn't help thinking how the sun disappearing below the horizon looked like the future of the Moran Corporation.

…

In the next room, as soon as Keith woke up, he was immediately greeted by the sight of Katherine sitting by the bedside, carefully wiping his arms with a hot towel.

"Kathy…" It was easier for him to speak without the oxygen mask. Even though his voice was still hoarse, he didn't sound as weak as he did before.

When Katherine heard that, she lifted her gaze to look at him. "You're awake! Are you hungry?"

Keith thought for a moment before he nodded. "Yeah…"

"Bear with it. You can eat after thirty minutes."

He paused for a beat before muttering, "Why did you ask me if I'm hungry, then?"

He was rendered speechless by Katherine's answer. However, he soon felt the guilt creeping up on him when he saw the shadows under her eyes.

Throat bobbing, he rasped, "I'm sorry for making you worry these few days, Kathy."

She paused for a second before she continued to wipe his other arm.

"In that case, you'd best get well soon. Don't make me worry anymore."

As she spoke, she tucked his arms back under the covers and sat in her seat by his bedside again to wipe his face. "Close your eyes."

Keith was more obedient than ever as he did exactly that.

A warm and moist towel soon fell on his face before he was wiped clean.

"I don't want to nag someone who's not a child anymore, but I have to remind you this—you have to keep your guard up at all times even if it wasn't your fault this time. Don't harm others but be careful of being harmed by them. You must be careful in everything you do and say from now on, got it?"

The warmth faded away, prompting Keith to open his eyes and nod without arguing. "Got it."

When Keith first regained consciousness, Tyler had come to see him explain the cause of the incident and what happened these few days.

Naturally, he resented the Moran Family for it. Nonetheless, he felt grateful too.

"I'm glad I was the one who fell for their trick, Kathy. I would have been at a loss if you were the one they got their hands on."

He sighed and indignantly pursed his lips.

"The Morans sure are a shameless bunch. Who the hell even forces people to treat someone else? Kathy, did they do anything to you?"

Katherine couldn't help feeling a myriad of emotions hit her, seeing how Keith was still worried about her despite having met with a mishap himself.

Not only had she been clinging onto her anger toward the Moran Family these few days, but she was also haunted by her self-blame for what happened to Keith.

Keith was one of the few close relatives she had left. Before her mother passed away, her mother had reminded Katherine to take good care of him.

And yet, he was now dragged into her business just because she failed to handle things well. There was no way she wouldn't feel sad and blame herself for it.

To make things worse, he was worried about her the moment he woke up.

She chewed on her bottom lip before eventually uttering, "Nope."

"I'm glad." He nodded.

The next moment, he must have remembered something again as he asked, "What about Grandma and Noah? Do they know what happened?"

Katherine's chest immediately tightened at the mention of Jennifer and she couldn't find her tongue.

She hadn't managed to tell him about Jennifer's passing and neither did she know how to start.

After all, Jennifer was the only elder family member who was present in their lives. Katherine didn't know if Keith would be able to take the news of her death.

Just when she was hesitating, Joaquin walked in and said in a clear voice, "You're awake. I've told someone to bring you something to eat. You'll be able to eat in a second."

While speaking, he put the thermos Jeremy brought on the coffee table.

"You've just recovered, so you can't have anything too heavy. Have some simple food to fill your stomach for the time being."

And just like that, Keith did not notice the sudden change in topic.

He smilingly greeted Joaquin, "You're here as well, Joe." Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

"What do you mean?" Joaquin quirked his eyebrows. "I never left. How can I leave when your sister is here?"

Keith chuckled before a yawn slipped.

Seeing this, Katherine told him, "The poison in your body has just been cleared. It's normal for you to not feel like yourself for a few days. Have some rest. I'll wake you up when it's time to eat."

Keith indeed felt lethargic. As such, he nodded and closed his eyes, drifting to sleep before long.

As Joaquin held Katherine's hand and led her out of the ward, he noticed how her lips were pressed into a tight line when they were in the corridor.

Knowing what she was worried about, he bent forward and gently pinched her cheeks.

"You don't have to tell Keith if you don't think the time is right. You can tell him when he's better. Let him visit Grandma's grave. He's an adult now and I'm sure he can face this kind of situation. Don't worry about it."