Reborn as Mr.CEO's Fat Wife-Chapter 960 Mary Scott You Are Really Capable

Mary Scott contacted Lambert Norman as soon as she left the office.

Jocelyn Spencer, in her humiliation and rage, would never let her off easily, and adding Charlotte Leigh to the mix—who knows what they might do? Especially since they were well-prepared, and Helena Marion was a major headache. Mary knew there was no escaping this time; she only hoped it wouldn’t implicate Lambert too much.

When the call connected, Mary briefly explained the situation to Lambert, then fell silent before softly apologizing, "Lambert, I’m sorry."

Back then, she had agreed to Lambert’s proposal to marry him to remain in M Kingdom; from the very start, she was using him. Now, just as everything seemed to have settled, she had brought such trouble to him again. She felt deeply guilty.

Holding his phone, Lambert listened as Mary rambled on about the situation, then suddenly heard her earnest apology. A faint, bitter ache flared in his heart. "I get it. Take care of yourself. Don’t worry too much about me."

"Okay." Mary responded softly, her heart filled with complicated emotions.

After hanging up Lambert’s call, Mary held her phone, intending to dial David Locke’s number. But as the seconds ticked by, she couldn’t bring herself to make the call.

Beside her, Mia Anderson noticed her spacing out and spoke anxiously, "Mary, what should we do now? Should we contact Director Locke and work on PR in advance? If this gets exposed, the public image you just managed to turn around will be ruined!"

Mia didn’t know exactly what was going on between Mary and Lambert, but this was no time to obsess over such things. Solving the problem was the key. Once the news broke, given Mary’s current level of exposure, failing to act promptly would undoubtedly destroy her precariously improved standing in the industry.

Mary understood this better than anyone. But how could she approach David Locke right now? That man would probably not even give her the chance to explain. Taking a deep breath, Mary gripped her phone again and dialed a PR company she was familiar with and trusted.

Compared to the fact that she had been married to Lambert, she was more worried about something else—something far more terrifying.

After arranging a meeting with the PR company’s representative, Mary asked the driver to take her there.

Once on site, Mary met with Kelly, a woman in her forties, dressed smartly in professional attire. Kelly was slightly surprised to see Mary personally show up but quickly returned to her usual demeanor, "What is Miss Scott’s request?"

Mary glanced at her but was about to speak when Mia suddenly gasped. Looking back, she saw Mia biting her lip as she handed her phone over. "Mary, this is bad!"

Taking Mia’s phone, Mary glanced at the Twitter post from Helena Marion. Even though she had anticipated their eventual move against her, seeing it with her own eyes still made her heart race and her body shiver. She handed the phone to Kelly. "Kelly, please take a look at this."

Kelly took the phone, read the post, then looked back at Mary. "Is this true?"

Mary didn’t hesitate and nodded. "Yes, it’s true."

"Let’s go inside and discuss." Kelly’s expression turned serious as she invited Mary into her office. She personally poured coffee for both Mary and Mia before she spoke. "If this is real, managing public relations will be quite difficult. Even if we steer public opinion, it will still impact your acting career. This time, the key focus of the PR effort lies with Director Locke. His stance will determine your future trajectory."

With years of experience in entertainment PR, Kelly had seen similar cases before. Still, handling a situation like Mary’s wasn’t easy. Public opinion was highly sensitive; a small misstep could obliterate all previous efforts. Especially now, when Mary’s popularity was at its peak—thanks to the public displays of affection with Director Locke.

Mary shook her head towards Kelly. "That issue can be left alone. What I need your help with is something else."

Both Kelly and Mia were momentarily stunned. If it wasn’t about that issue, then what was?

Mary took a deep breath. "I left hastily. Does your company have a confidentiality agreement ready?"

Kelly silently observed Mary, saying nothing.

If it wasn’t her previous marriage and entanglement with her ex-husband that Mary cared about, then the severity of the other issue she mentioned was self-evident. For a moment, Kelly didn’t know how to react.

Mary took another deep breath. "Name your price, Kelly."

But as soon as those words left her mouth, Mary felt uneasy. She had just received a one-million yuan payment for her contract with Raspberry Snacks; the previous variety show fees had already been disbursed. If the asking price was too high, she wouldn’t be able to afford it.

Kelly, with her years of experience in the entertainment industry, immediately understood Mary’s situation just from her reaction. But what intrigued her more was, "If I’m not mistaken, Director Locke should have his own PR team, and they’re extremely competent. Why not approach him for help instead of going elsewhere?"

As a professional in the PR world, Kelly clearly understood that Mary’s rise—from a nobody to someone with fame comparable to a mid-tier starlet, complete with improving public opinion—was no accident. She undoubtedly had the backing of Director Locke’s PR team.

As for David Locke, while undeniably talented, his temper was infamous, and his romantic partners came and went frequently. Yet, he had successfully crafted a ’devoted lover’ image—who would believe it? Only gullible fans, perhaps.

Kelly’s question hit Mary’s sore spot, and she instantly fell silent. But her phone was far from silent. Just as Kelly finished speaking, Mary’s phone vibrated in the stillness of the office, startling everyone.

Glancing at the screen, Mary’s heart clenched. David Locke was calling. He must have seen the news by now. Staring at the familiar number, she couldn’t summon the courage to answer the call. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

Although she knew the moment of judgment would inevitably arrive, she still wished it could be delayed a little longer.

But the person on the other end was nothing if not persistent. After Mary declined to answer the first time, the calls continued relentlessly.

The buzzing sound, neither loud nor soft, disrupted the atmosphere in Kelly’s office. For a moment, neither Mary nor Kelly spoke, while Mia worriedly called out, "Mary?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, Mary ignored her vibrating phone and turned to Kelly. "To be candid, my request is simple. The fact that I was married in M Kingdom is true; there’s no need to deny it. As for the rumors about ongoing entanglements, someone will handle that. I only ask that your company monitors public opinion and ensures that nothing..."

Her phone suddenly stopped vibrating, and Mary froze mid-sentence. She was about to continue when Mia tugged at her sleeve. "Mary, Director Locke is calling my phone now..."

Mia looked troubled. She wasn’t like Mary, who had the nerve to keep ignoring the calls.

Seeing Mia’s distress, Mary apologized to Kelly and picked up Mia’s phone, stepping aside to take the call.

As soon as she answered, a cold voice demanded, "Where is Mary Scott? Put her on."

Mary’s hand trembled, her lips parted but no sound came out. Before she could speak, David Locke’s voice came through again, colder and sharper. "Mary Scott, you really have guts."

Before Mary could even respond, she realized there was no point in staying silent. The man’s icy attitude already spoke volumes. With a firm bite of her lip, she said, "I’m sorry."

Those three words made her eyes well up. She had braced herself for the worst the moment she walked out of Jocelyn Spencer’s office. But preparation was one thing; actually hearing David’s furious, icy voice on the other end still struck a deep, uncontrollable ache.

After her brief apology, the line went quiet.

The tension grew thicker.

Mary gathered herself, sniffled, and continued, "This has nothing to do with you. I’ve already contacted a PR company, and Lambert will also follow up. I’ll withdraw from ’The Doctors,’ ensuring that your project isn’t affected."

Having spent years in the industry, Mary knew how her tarnished reputation could drag down an entire production. She was doing everything she could to reduce the fallout for David’s career and protect his project from premature backlash or failure.

But even after she finished speaking, silence lingered on the other side. She could only hear his breathing, heavier than before. Mary’s hand holding the phone grew stiffer by the second.

A heavy, suffocating silence.

Every second felt excruciatingly long. Mary opened her mouth again, her voice hoarse. "If... if you have nothing to say, then... I’ll hang up..."

The last three words were especially painful to utter because she didn’t know if this might be her final conversation with David.

Would this be the end of any connection between them?

The thought alone was unbearable. The very idea tore at Mary’s chest, leaving her stifled and in agony.

But no matter how unbearable it was, what had already happened couldn’t be changed. She had indeed been married to Lambert, and she couldn’t choose a different family background.

She couldn’t change a thing.

With that realization, Mary let out a bitter, self-deprecating smile and pressed the button to hang up.

The line beeped faintly as if merging with David’s furious attempt to say something, but silence quickly followed.

Mary held her phone and couldn’t stop wondering what he had wanted to say in the end. Perhaps he was willing to listen to her explanation... But as soon as such a thought sprouted, Mary shook her head instinctively. Impossible. If anyone knew David Locke’s temper, it was her.

"Mary, what did Director Locke want? Should we head back to Rose Valley now? The news has already broken, and reporters might show up to block us soon!" Mia spoke anxiously after Mary hung up.

Mary didn’t respond to Mia; instead, she turned back to Kelly. "Two million. I’ll pay one million as a down payment. If your PR efforts are satisfactory, I’ll pay the remaining half. My only request is that public opinion never links back to my background."

Kelly sat as Mary stood. She looked up at the girl before her, so poised and radiant. The price Mary offered wasn’t particularly high in this industry, but if this was her only request, then it should be sufficient. Still, Kelly couldn’t help but ask, "Your background..."

"Confidentiality agreement." Mary cut Kelly off with those two words.

Kelly studied her for a moment. "We can sign a confidentiality agreement, but I must warn you in advance. Helena Marion and her team are like rabid dogs—they won’t stop biting until they take a chunk out of their target. My team and I will do our best to steer the narrative away from what you fear. But I can’t guarantee complete containment, and the down payment is non-refundable."

Having been in the industry for years, Mary understood these principles. Public opinion wasn’t something that could easily be controlled. She nodded. "I understand."

Time was of the essence, and Mary trusted Kelly’s reputation enough to not waste time. She swiftly had the confidentiality agreement signed and finalized the contract.

While this was happening, Kelly’s team had already begun monitoring shifts in public opinion. However, just as Mary signed the paperwork and made the transfer, a staff member from Kelly’s team suddenly exclaimed in alarm.

Mary, who was present, instinctively turned her head toward the sound. She saw the staff member rise from their seat. "Kelly, someone just posted about Miss Scott’s family background, and it looks planned—it’s spreading rapidly."

Kelly immediately got up and hurried over. One glance at the post sent shockwaves through her expression. She quickly gave instructions. "Start working on getting the post taken down. Reduce its visibility. Deploy ghostwriters to change the subject."

After issuing these commands, the team sprang into action. Meanwhile, Kelly returned to Mary’s side. "Someone’s targeting you—and they’re well-prepared. This doesn’t look good."

Kelly glanced at Mary’s expression. When Mary initially had them sign the confidentiality agreement, she hadn’t disclosed any details. Celebrity PR often involved confidentiality agreements, so Kelly just assumed Mary didn’t have a particularly impressive background. But now it was clear—Mary was the daughter of a man once convicted of nationwide corruption. If that truth were exposed, not only would Mary’s career be destroyed, but she might spend the rest of her life under the shroud of infamy.

For a moment, Kelly was at a loss for words.

Mary had guessed as much the moment she heard the staff’s exclamation. A suffocating weight settled in her chest. Suddenly, everything clicked—that look Charlotte Leigh gave her the other day, and Jocelyn Spencer’s threatening confrontation today. This was just the beginning. Charlotte likely already had everything she needed on Mary and was waiting for the perfect moment to strike, using Jocelyn’s schemes as a cover to deal Mary a fatal blow.

Compared to scandals about her brief marriage and entanglements with two men, such tabloid fodder was nothing. Her heritage was the real weapon that could utterly demolish her.

Mary could practically predict the netizens’ reactions. Her worst fear was becoming a reality.

Standing in Kelly’s office amidst the bustling activity of the PR team, Mary felt a chill seep through her despite the warmth of the room. Unbidden, memories of those early harrowing years surfaced—when she and her younger brother were like stray dogs, harried by countless verbal attacks, even after fleeing to M Kingdom.

Public judgment had hounded her father during his trial, driven her mother to divorce him in a bid to cut ties, and left Mary and her little brother abandoned and alone. Helpless, lost, and riddled with self-loathing, Mary had no one to rely on and no way out. At the time, she had just turned eighteen, while her brother was only thirteen. If she fell apart, what would happen to him?

Those early days were a blur she didn’t want to remember. She only recalled working endless hours washing dishes in the dim back kitchens of Chinatown restaurants to earn enough to feed herself and her brother. At night, they would curl up in a rundown motel filled with noise. Underneath her filthy pillow, she’d always keep a knife for protection.

Yet she never allowed herself to complain because she knew she had no right. Entering the entertainment industry had simply been a way to make money. She understood all too well that she wasn’t someone who deserved admiration or love. She was a criminal, a rat who had been crawling her way through life. The brief periods of light and joy she’d experienced were stolen moments—and stolen things always have to be returned...

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