Chapter 830: Chapter 830: Benjamin, Take Miss Ford Ho
Catherine Ford, wearing an apron, was busy in the kitchen. Hearing the door open, she poked her head out of the kitchen, “Lawyer Jones, please have a seat, I’ll be right …. right ….”
She stopped mid-sentence when she saw who had entered. Catherine’s words choked back, and she stared in shock at the person Alice had brought with her, a flicker of confusion passing through her heart. Then, seeing that one of them was Benjamin Jones’s mother, she hurriedly greeted, “Auntie, you’re here, and this is Uncle Jones…”
No wonder Catherine was shocked. She had seen this person before, many tis on the political news channel, and suddenly appearing in her own ho made her feel as if she was experiencing an illusion.
“Yes, this is Benjamin’s father; just call him Uncle Jones. Alice just invited us over for a visit, and we thought we’d co and say hello to you,” explained Mrs. Jones casually.
Alice added, “Yes, mom, Grandma and Grandpa were invited by .”
Catherine forced a smile, feeling awkward inside. She could sowhat accept Mrs. Jones coming to greet her, but why would Mr. Jones co? Though she found it strange, she quickly washed her hands and ca out of the kitchen to greet the elderly couple. Mrs. Jones waved her hand, “Go on with your work; don’t mind us, we’re just here to spend so ti with Alice.”
As Mrs. Jones finished speaking, Benjamin Jones walked in, facing a dumbfounded Catherine, “Need any help?”
“No, it’s almost ready,” Catherine replied, noticing that Mrs. Jones and Mr. Jones, although they were talking to Alice, kept glancing intentionally or unintentionally at her and Benjamin.
Her face suddenly felt fiery. She turned around to carry the dishes but saw Benjamin following her into the kitchen. Despite the large open kitchen, it felt cramped the mont the man stepped in, making Catherine’s breathing sowhat difficult, “Really, no need…”
“My parents really like Alice; I apologize for the sudden visit,” Benjamin ignored Catherine’s words, simply explained with a light tone and helped carry the stir-fried pork with bell peppers and lotus root dishes out.
Catherine stood rigid on the spot. She had always known that Benjamin ca from an extraordinary background, but exactly how extraordinary, she did not know and had no intention of inquiring. Yet, she did not expect his father to be none other than Francis Jones, the highly respected Secretary Frank.
Why would such a person show up unexpectedly at her ho?
She didn’t believe it.
Reflecting on Mrs. Jones’s warmth towards Alice that morning, could it be that Mrs. Jones had discovered sothing?
This thought caused Catherine’s hand to shake, and she accidentally touched the hot soup ladle to her finger, causing a sharp pain that snapped her back to reality. She then heard a deep, pleasant male voice nearby asking, “Are you alright?”
Frightened, Catherine’s heart pounded like a drum, and her body trembled, like a startled little animal. Benjamin furrowed his brows, “Are you very scared of ?”
“No, not at all. It’s just the burn; I was a bit startled,” Catherine hurried to explain, though inside she thought it wasn’t him she feared, but the mories he might recall which she wished forgotten.
Benjamin’s gaze lingered on Catherine, examining the woman closely. He had felt since their first eting that she looked vaguely familiar, yet he could never fully rember any prior interaction with her. He had assud it was because she resembled soone from his past, Abby. However, his mother’s unusual behavior today, coupled with the woman’s excessive nervousness, made him suspect that she might be hiding so secret connected to him.
And this secret might involve him.
“Did you know before?” Benjamin suddenly asked again.
Catherine tensed even more, her mouth twitching, fingernails digging into her palm. After a mont, she turned her head back with feigned confusion, “How could that be? How would I have known Lawyer Jones before?”
“Oh, I’ll do it.” Benjamin said softly. He did not recall eting Catherine before. Despite her even tone, her tense body told him otherwise.
But he did not plan on inquiring further. There are so things won don’t say, and he had his own ways to investigate.
However, his sudden shift in topics took Catherine by surprise, leaving her puzzled as if asking, “What are you going to do?”
Amused by her reaction, Benjamin thought to himself that she was both silly and dull, no wonder she gets bullied. Ignoring Catherine, Benjamin walked over to her side and ladled so chicken soup into a bowl.
The golden chicken soup shimred with oil droplets, beneath which was a creamy white broth, emitting a rich aroma. Just slling it could whet one’s appetite. Benjamin sniffed it briefly before pouring it into a decorated celadon bowl.
After serving the chicken soup onto the dining table, Catherine finally reacted, hurriedly bringing out the rice and the remaining dishes. Unaware that Mr. and Mrs. Jones were also there, she had prepared eight dishes for what she thought would be just three people, which was more than enough. However, for five people, it seed slightly inadequate.
After thinking it over, Catherine quickly took a large piece of the chicken used to make the soup, shredded it, cut up half a green pepper and half a red pepper, added seasoning, then heated oil and splashed it over, followed by stir-frying eggs with tender yellow shrimp in the remaining oil.
Just then, the water boiled, and she started boiling Alice’s rainbow dumplings. She was about to bring out the cold shredded chicken and shrimp-egg rolls when her hand touched another large hand. It felt like an electric shock as she hastily withdrew her hand, which still tingled from the contact. She looked up unconsciously, only to see him giving her a faint glance and saying, “Let do it.”
After speaking, his tall figure turned and left the kitchen, then he seed to recall sothing, “This is enough food, they won’t eat much.”
“Oh.” Catherine’s heart still felt unsteady as she dumbly responded, but she wasn’t sure if it was her illusion that Benjamin’s back seed sowhat stiff.
However, the water was boiling rapidly, and Catherine hurried to tend to it, without giving much thought to anything else.
By the ti she fished out Alice’s rainbow dumplings, all the dishes for tonight were ready, and Mrs. Jones called her to sit down as she erged from the kitchen.
Alice had never eaten with so many people before and was extrely happy. Seeing the rainbow dumplings on Catherine’s plate, she generously offered two to everyone.
Mrs. Jones thanked Alice while happily serving her more dishes, and occasionally praising Catherine for her excellent cooking.
Mr. Jones, although usually reserved, also showed rare fondness for Alice, his face filled with kindness. Initially, he hadn’t planned to eat at Catherine’s place, but seeing Alice’s eagerness for him to try the rainbow dumplings her mother had made, he couldn’t disappoint his granddaughter. After tasting one, his eyes lit up, and he took a few more bites of the dishes, agreeing with his wife, the girl’s culinary skills were indeed laudable.
Even used to various gourt foods, he could not help but praise Catherine’s cooking.
Seeing her husband start eating, Mrs. Jones leaned over and whispered, “I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?”
“Indeed, it’s very good,” Mr. Jones nodded.
Watching his parents’ subtle interactions, Benjamin took a deep breath; these two really weren’t holding back.
Catherine was initially worried that Mr. and Mrs. Jones might not be accustod to her homade dishes, but seeing their satisfied enjoynt, she secretly sighed in relief. Her gaze inadvertently t Benjamin’s, who was already looking at her, causing her a mont of embarrassnt. She then rembered the purpose of tonight’s dinner, refilled everyone’s tea, poured herself a glass of wine, and then stood up to bow to Benjamin.
Mr. and Mrs. Jones were taken aback and turned their gazes towards Catherine.
Catherine Ford clenched her hands, trying her best not to be nervous, and then looked towards the slightly furrowed-brow man, “Whether it was the divorce litigation or my current job, it was all thanks to Lawyer Jones’ care that my daughter and I could have this stable life now. On behalf of myself and Alice, I thank Lawyer Jones. We mother and daughter have nothing with which to repay you, so we can only make so food to express our gratitude. Please do not despise it.”
After finishing, Catherine Ford took a swig of her drink, her face filled with gratitude.
Benjamin Jones glanced at the tea beside him, slightly raised an eyebrow, then gave a light hum, accepting Catherine Ford’s gesture of gratitude.
The Joneses by his side slightly frowned, wondering if these two really had nothing between them? Were they overthinking things? But what about Alice, could it also be a coincidence?
Various thoughts flashed through the minds of the two elders. At this mont, Alice, imitating the adults, slid down from the stool and also wanted to thank Benjamin Jones, but this ti Benjamin casually picked Alice up and put her back in the seat, “Just eat your al nicely.”
“But Alice wants to thank Uncle too,” Alice said with a bit of grievance.
“Uncle just ate your rainbow dumplings, so we’re even now,” Benjamin Jones said gently.
Alice tilted her head to look at Catherine Ford, “Mom, is that okay?”
Catherine Ford glanced at Benjamin Jones and gave a soft hum to her daughter.
Alice was happy, and once again offered her lotus root clip to Benjamin Jones.
The Joneses watched their son interacting with Alice, their doubts deepening, but then Alice finished offering food to Benjamin Jones and turned around to offer them so as well.
The lotus root clip made by Catherine Ford was fresh, crunchy, and left a lingering fragrance. It was the first ti the Joneses had tried it, and they found it quite novel, montarily forgetting other thoughts.
Seeing this, Catherine Ford secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She had deliberately expressed her thanks earlier to clear up any misunderstandings with Benjamin’s parents in their presence, so as not to let them indulge in wild guesswork. It seed the effect was quite good so far.
The dining atmosphere lightened considerably, but just as dinner was about to end, Catherine Ford’s mobile phone suddenly vibrated. She was about to get up to fetch it, but Alice was quicker, slipping off the chair and grabbing it from a nearby sofa, offering it to her as if claiming credit.
Catherine Ford saw that it was a call from her cousin and apologetically glanced at everyone before going to answer it. No sooner had the call connected than she heard from the other side, “Catherine, it’s not good. Your dad had a fight with the Newmans, and Foster Newman was sent to the hospital. Your mom couldn’t bear it and fainted. The Newmans are not letting this go and have surrounded your dad and Gabriel. You must co back quickly!”
Bang!
Catherine Ford, failing to hold her phone steady, dropped it to the floor, producing a muffled bang that attracted the attention of everyone at the dining table.
“Mommy, what happened?” Alice rushed over first.
Catherine Ford hadn’t fully processed the news she just heard when her cousin’s anxious voice continued from the phone, “The Newmans are claiming that if anything happens to Foster, they’ll hold your dad responsible. All the Fords have rushed over, but you know, this is Newman Village…”
Her cousin’s voice was still audible from the phone, but Catherine Ford felt a tingling in her scalp, barely hearing Alice’s voice, until a tall figure approached, bent down to pick up the phone, and spoke into it, “Catherine, co back imdiately. Please take good care of her parents first.”
The man’s deep, magnetic voice seed to have a calming effect. Catherine Ford finally snapped back to reality and hurriedly started packing. However, upon coming out of the bedroom and seeing Alice, she realized: if she left, what would happen to Alice? But if she took Alice with her, with the uncertain situation there, what if Alice got hurt?
And in such cold weather, taking Alice along is just making her suffer.
Just as Catherine Ford was hesitating, Mrs. Jones stepped forward, “If you are at ease, you can leave Alice with first, and I will bring her over when you co back.”
“Can… can I do that?” She obviously trusts Mrs. Jones, but after all, they are not very familiar, and she felt bad for troubling her.
“Of course, you can. We, the old couple, are both retired and idle at ho; rather than saying we are taking care of Alice, it’s more like Alice is keeping us company,” Mrs. Jones said with a smile.
Catherine Ford looked at her daughter, “Alice, Grandma is sick, and mommy needs to go back to check on Grandma. Could you stay with Grandpa Jones and Grandma Jones for the next couple of days?”
Alice looked at her mother, then at Mrs. Jones, and finally asked with grievance, “Mom, is it inconvenient for you to take care of Alice?”
Catherine Ford felt a pang in her heart, “Yes, mommy has a lot of things to handle when she goes back and can’t take care of Alice. Can Alice listen to what Grandma Jones says, okay?”
“Okay.” Although Alice was reluctant to leave her mother, she was a sensible child who knew not to cause trouble for her mom. Although unwilling, she obediently agreed and then clutched Catherine Ford’s sleeve, “Mommy, you should co back ho soon.”
“Yes.” Catherine Ford kissed Alice’s forehead and made a solemn promise, then stood up and said apologetically to the Joneses, “I’m really troubling you both.”
“You go and focus on your affairs,” Mrs. Jones said, and then looked at her son, “Benjamin, you escort Miss Ford back.”
The voice in the phone was very loud earlier, and they all heard so of it. They don’t think Catherine Ford can handle it alone if she goes back by herself.
Benjamin Jones glanced at his mother and then at Catherine Ford who was already shaking her hands repeatedly, “No trouble, no trouble, I can manage by myself.”
After speaking, Catherine Ford saw the dishes on the dining table, “Don’t worry about the table, I will clean it up when I co back.”
Benjamin Jones sighed lightly, this woman was still worried about the dishes at such a ti, indeed both foolish and dull, regardless of what Catherine Ford thought, “Let’s go.”
Catherine Ford thought the man was urging her, and quickly replied, “I’m going right now.”
After speaking, she waved goodbye to Alice and Mr. and Mrs. Jones and hurried out. She barely walked a few steps when she felt soone following her, she turned back and saw Benjamin Jones, “Lawyer Jones, you…”
“Stay here.” Benjamin Jones curtly cut off Catherine Ford’s words and turned back to enter his own villa.
Standing in the winter’s cold wind, Catherine Ford did not understand what he ant. Before she could figure it out, Benjamin Jones had already changed into a long black overcoat and was slowly walking towards her.
The man was tall, and the black overcoat made him appear even more upright, standing in the wind sturdy like a pine, his sharply contoured handso face was exceptionally noble, making it difficult for one to take their eyes off him. For a mont, Catherine Ford felt her heartbeat uncontrollably speed up again.
“Get in the car.” While Catherine Ford was stunned, Benjamin Jones had already approached her and, seeing that she did not move, his thin lips slightly parted, carrying a bit of a command.
Catherine Ford ca back to her senses and noticed a car parked next to her, Benjamin Jones’s car. She looked at him blankly, only to hear him answer emotionlessly, “I will drive you.”
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