A Replacement Bride

Chapter 353

The following day at 9.00AM, Katherine and Joaquin showed up at the W Co. entrance. Many people had gathered at that time and were crammed together at the door like herrings in a barrel. Most were media reporters with large video cameras and a small group of prominent businessmen from Hovington and other countries who were influential businesspeople.

Some familiar faces who attended the event were Corey Gray, Jayden Hall, and David Blatt, who had also rushed from Kyoland.

Corey offered them a polite smile. "Congratulations."

On the other hand, David couldn't help teasing Katherine, "Do you even consider us your friends, Kathy? How could you not let us know about such important news? Do you know what people are saying about you now?"

She raised her brow and smirked, "What are they saying?"

Then, he responded, "They describe you as a rare business genius and a powerful woman who is simply unheard of and unseen!"

However, she didn't take his words seriously. "There's nothing unexpected about that. There are so many young talents out there in the business world. It's nothing new to be a woman."

Corey raised his brows and commented, "It's not new, but someone as powerful as you are rare."

While the three laughed and chatted, Jayden's gaze stayed on Katherine's bright face.

Meanwhile, Joaquin noticed it and silently moved sideways, blocking Jayden's line of sight.

Suddenly, Jayden furrowed his brows and shifted his gaze to meet Joaquin's half-smile.

"Long time no see, Mr. Hall. Thanks for coming all the way to attend my wife's ribbon-cutting ceremony."

Jayden's thin lips pursed slightly before he responded with a low voice, "Kathy is my friend. It is only right that I come and support her."

Then, Joaquin's sharp brows twitched as he offered him a polite smile. "Yes, you are her friend."

Those words irritated Jayden, but Katherine failed to notice the spark between the two men. Realizing it was almost time for the ceremony, she tugged on Joaquin's shirt hem and urged, "Let's go."

So, he turned around to look at her with tenderness in his eyes. "Sure."

After the couple bid goodbye to Corey and the rest, they headed toward the entrance.

As Jayden watched them fade away in the distance, his eyes became gloomy, and his expression belied a deeper meaning. Corey and David observed the change in his eyes but could do nothing to help him. They were both aware that relationships could be challenging and complex.

On the other hand, the ribbon-cutting ceremony was a success. As president of W Co., Katherine gave a brief speech. She was glowing when she took the stage, and her presence captivated the audience. Meanwhile, Joaquin's face was permanently gleaming with pride for his wife's accomplishments.

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Owen prepared a grand banquet in the main hall on the first floor of the building.

As the host, Katherine had to exchange customary greetings with the guests. When she saw Josiah, the calmness in her orbs became unsteady. "I didn't expect you to rush over from Kyoland, Mr. Grant. It is my honor to have you here."

Soon, his stiff expression softened into a smile as he expressed his genuine happiness for her. He said, "Don't mention it. If I were on the other side, I would make the trip to this event." His gaze lingered on her face for a while as he could not contain his excitement. However, some words became lodged in his throat as he deliberated whether or not to speak them. At some point, Josiah couldn't hold it in any longer, and in a raspy voice, he uttered, "If your mother saw you from heaven, she would definitely be proud of you."

Katherine was taken aback by his statement, parted her lips slightly, and stared at him with clear eyes.

Perhaps, he could not withstand her stare; Josiah quickly added, "You must be busy greeting the other guests. I shall take my leave now." Following that, he looked at Joaquin with a meaningful gaze, nodded, and left.

She was frozen in silence for a moment before unconsciously turning her head to watch as Josiah's tall and broad figure exited the hall. Soon, a hint of complexity flashed across her crystal-clear eyes.

Seeing her, Joaquin reached out to pinch her fingers lightly and urged with a tender smile. "Let's go." This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

Then, she withdrew her gaze and nodded with her usual expression.

The banquet went off without a hitch, but about halfway through, Owen came over and reported to Katherine in hushed tones, "Miss Katherine, Mason Moran is here."

When she heard that, her brows raised slightly, and a spark flickered in her beautiful eyes. "Is that so? Where is he?"

"I worry he might cause a fuss, so I didn't let him in. He's currently at the entrance of the building and insists on seeing you."

She smiled and said, "How can we be rude to guests? Bring him to the guest lounge. I'll come over in a bit."

"Sure." Owen did as told.

After half an hour had passed, and as the banquet came to an end, guests began to leave one by one. Within half an hour of the media publicizing Katherine's new business, a group of people approached her to propose collaborations with her.

However, she did not bother to entertain them, so she asked Joaquin to send the guests off and dismissed those who requested collaboration. Then, she spared some time to meet Mason in the guest lounge.

Mason had waited for her for what seemed like an eternity. By the time she walked into the lounge, his head was hung low in humiliation. "Miss Cornell, I'm sorry I offended you in the past because I was too naive. Please have mercy on our family. I beg you!"

Even in desperation, he was direct and did not beat around the bush. Despite being a middle-aged man, his current bitter expression made him look older than he was.

On the other hand, Katherine raised her brow and judged Mason. He seems to have endured so much torture over the past few days. Now that I've set the ball rolling, I will not let him go so quickly. "What are you talking about, Mr. Moran?" She smiled like a docile cat, but the words she spat were ruthless. "Don't beg me for mercy. When you did that to my grandma in the past, you never considered letting her go."

Suddenly, his large frame began to tremble, and he began to resemble an elderly man.

With a horrified expression, Mason explained, "My family was to blame for that incident, but that is in the past. Why should we let the grievances of the previous generation affect us? Even if you refuse to

admit it, your grandma is related to the Moran Family. Moreover, you are also an inseparable existence to us. Therefore, I promise that from now on, no one in our family will try to provoke you. Please forgive us for our past mistakes!"

"Hah!" Katherine snickered. Her pretty eyes curved into beautiful crescent shapes. "You're an expert at blaming your ancestors, huh? If they heard what you said, wouldn't they emerge from their graves to see you in the middle of the night?"

When he heard that, a chill ran down his spine, and he froze. "This—"

Then, she sat leisurely on the couch, but her tone was stern when she finally spoke again. "Besides, did you forget how loud you were when you made a scene at my grandma's funeral hall back then?"