A Replacement Bride

Chapter 262

Barely functioning as real men should? Is she capable of doing that? Warden gulped. His inquisitive eyes peeked at Emma, seemingly asking her what was going on.

However, there was no way Emma would know. Even she was taken aback when she heard Katherine's words.

At that point, she quickly tried to mediate. "Hush, Kathy! What is a lady like you talking about something like that? That's not very nice—"

However, she had only started talking when Jennifer did not hesitate to interrupt with a scoff.

"Why do you care what Kathy says? You're concerning yourself with way more than you should."

Right then, Katherine nonchalantly raised her eyebrows without a hint of warmth in her eyes.

"I'm not joking," she announced. "You should try to find out my reputation in Hovington, Young Master Brown. I'm sure you'll have more than one person telling you about how I crippled a few scumbags."

She spoke so confidently without missing a beat as if she was speaking nothing but the truth.

Seeing the unwavering look on her face, Warden felt cold sweat gather on the back of his torso, and his legs and stomach seemed to quiver.

"Uh…" He gulped again. His eyes were darting everywhere nervously as thoughts of retreating started filling his head.

Katherine took it up a notch when she noticed this.

"If that's too much effort, I can give you a taste of what I'm capable of." Content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

The moment she started stalking toward him, he was so frightened he quickly stepped backward while trying to stop her with words.

"D-Don't get any closer! I-I'm only here to pick up some girls. I'll leave if you're not up for it!"

Warden was only trying to score a date. He wouldn't think he would be betting the rest of his life off!

After throwing that out, he quickly turned around to leave.

Emma immediately turned ashen when she saw this, and she tried to stop him.

"Young Master Brown! Don't go! L-Let's talk it out—"

However, the man, who was in a hurry to leave, impatiently frowned and pushed her away from him.

"Get up! What's there to talk about?" he roared. "I wouldn't have come if you hadn't lied to me about her wanting to marry me. This was a waste of time. I'm warning you, I don't want to see you around begging me for anything again!"

He then stormed out of there.

Katherine wasn't surprised at all by how things had panned out.

Even though she didn't know much about the Brown Family, she had heard rumors about Warden.

The man was a playboy who loved visiting brothels, but he had the courage of a mouse, on top of being a narcissist.

Katherine only intended to scare him for a bit, which was why it surprised her when he scampered away from fear.

Emma, too, didn't think things would turn out this way. For a moment, she couldn't stop her emotions from showing on her face. However, she didn't dare blow her top.

It was because of her that their relationship turned sour back then. Even Arthur stopped backing up the Rosenburg Family after that.

She knew the Rosenburgs would be ruined if she messed this up again.

At that thought, she clenched her jaw and decided the best way was for her to continue playing the same old emotional card.

"Kathy, I know that I was the one at fault last time. It's only right that you're mad at me. But no matter what, we're family! Your mother was so close to marrying into the Rosenburg Family. I wouldn't have been against the marriage if I knew she was pregnant with you."

"Ha! You sure have a way with words!" Jennifer sneered. Her squinted eyes were filled with mockery. "If you had known that my daughter was with child, you would have wasted no time in forcing her to get an abortion! What lies are you spouting? Don't try to play nice now."

"I…" Emma quickly tried to explain herself. "You're wrong. I wouldn't do that. Joshua loved Elsie so much—"

"Don't give me any of that nonsense!"

Jennifer wasn't going to fall for Emma's act. It pained her to even think about her daughter.

"Elsie put up with and went through so much back then. Her life wouldn't have been a living hell if you hadn't made it so hard for her!"

Seeing how agitated Jennifer had gotten, Katherine immediately went to the older woman and helped her sit down. She then turned to look at Emma with a piercing cold gaze.

"Are you done? Get out of here if you are. You're not welcome here and I don't want to see you. I'll pretend I didn't hear all the other nonsense you spouted."

Emma froze from being watched by those eyes. She opened her mouth to speak and yet, she couldn't find a word to say.

Just the thought of the terrible state the Rosenburgs were in now made her panic. She didn't even care anymore as she set her pride aside and fell on her knees with a thud.

With tears and snot streaming down her face, she wailed, "Please save the Rosenburgs, Kathy! We've been driven up the wall. Your mother might not have taken the Rosenburg name, but you are still our flesh and blood! You can't just stay out of this. You will return to us one day. Your name will also be on our family's register. Your helping us is the same thing as helping yourself!"

Emma's tearful voice had grown raspy as she cried for help.

Despite that, Katherine only looked at her with cold eyes. The older woman was a hilarious sight to behold.

"Did you say you want to add my name to the family register? Ha! That depends on whether or not I want in. Also, I have nothing to do with the Rosenburgs. Don't you dare start claiming that I'm one of you!"

"What do you mean you have nothing to do with the Rosenburgs?" Emma blurted out. "Your mother and my son were so close to getting married. You are a Rosenburg! It's absurd that you're not helping your own family! It's treacherous! It's abominable!"

Treacherous? Abominable?

Katherine had grown impatient at first but as soon as she heard those words, her eyes and expression grew cold.

Right as she was about to lose her temper, an emotionless, deep voice suddenly rang out from the door of the ward.

"Abominable? Save that for your family."

Katherine swiftly lifted her head when she heard the familiar voice, only to see Joaquin entering the room.

He was still in his hospital gown as he hadn't made a full recovery. She also noticed the lack of color on his face.

And yet, his aura was so overwhelming it seemed to physically affect everyone else in the ward.

Ben, who looked unbothered, was following closely behind with an upset and disdainful expression on his face.

When Katherine realized that it was Joaquin, her sleek brows immediately pulled into a frown. "You're still unwell. You should be lying down."

Instead of answering her, he smiled and strode to her side and stood with her.

"I'm alright." Unlike before, his tone grew a lot gentler. "I can't just leave you here to deal with a vexatious swindler by yourself."

With that, he brought his hand up to caress her cheek. He then turned around and observed Emma from his height, his face no longer holding the gentleness it had just a moment ago.

"I'm surprised you haven't given up after that mess you caused last time. In that case, I'll make sure you give up completely!"