Ch. 141..150

Chapter 141 A Complete Victory

The poker game had just started, and Catherine had no clue about the basic rules. It was Branden who stepped in to give her a crash course.

Seeing this scene, Triston and Aidan couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Their eyes narrowed in delight.

It was said that beginners had beginner’s luck. And there was an aura of fortune around them. But when it came to Catherine, that saying didn’t work.

The first hand of cards that Catherine received made Branden feel bad. It was so chaotic. There was not even a pair in sight. She was entirely reliant on the player before her for decent cards.

Unfortunately for Catherine, the player before her was Aidan. He was notorious for tightening the screws on the player after him. Catherine could hardly manage to get good cards from his hand.

Instead of having Catherine wait for good cards from his hand, it might be quicker for Catherine to rely on her luck to win. In the first round, Catherine lost, and Triston won. In the second round, Catherine lost again, and Aidan won this time.

Both of the two had decent cards. When the third round began, Triston started to rearrange the cards and couldn’t resist teasing Catherine. He asked, “Catherine, how many chips do you have left?”

Catherine reached out to check her chips. After two rounds, she had only one chip left. Two thousand chips had dwindled to one. Losing this last one would mean she had utterly lost this round of poker.

As Triston saw the lone chip in Catherine’s side, he burst into hearty laughter. “Catherine, I think it’s time to ask Mr. Duncan for guidance in this round. Maybe he can help you turn the tables.”

They had initially been concerned that Branden would offer some advice from the sidelines. However, to their surprise, Branden didn’t lift a finger to assist Catherine. He remained entirely focused on peeling hazelnuts.

A small mound of white nuts had piled up, which looked quite tempting. Triston couldn’t resist reaching out to take one for a taste. However, he didn’t dare to do that. These nuts, peeled by Branden himself, were not for ordinary people..

Branden piled the peeled nuts in front of Catherine and whispered. “Don’t mind them. If you lose, just try one more. Have some nuts to boost your brainpower.”

Branden’s action left Triston and Aidan dumbfounded. They thought inwardly, “Mr. Duncan is always indifferent to anyone. When has he ever been so gentle?”

They instinctively looked at Catherine. They saw Catherine calmly picking up a nut and eating it. She didn’t change her expression. Aidan, who was on the side, was in shock at her composure. He thought Catherine was unbelievably calm.

He thought inwardly, “What kind of background can make Mr. Duncan acknowledge her identity? Why is he caring for her so attentively? It is incredible.”

The hazelnuts tasted pretty good. After Catherine had two, her appetite increased. She reached out for more nuts.

As Branden saw her enjoy the nuts, he poured some coffee and handed it to Catherine personally. His service was exceptionally considerate. “The coffee is warm. It will make you feel comfortable.”

Triston nudged Aidan and pulled him back from his state of shock. They locked eyes, and Aidan understood the message in Triston’s gaze. They had won the game but lost their composure. This display of affection was becoming a bit too much to handle.

Even Aidan had grown tired of it. He forcefully pushed the poker cards in front of him and exclaimed, “Come on. Let’s continue. If we don’t, they’ll make us sick with their lovey-dovey act.

The new round began. This time, Catherine had decent cards. Unfortunately, Catherine’s remaining chips were too few. It was difficult for her to turn the tables.

Triston, Aidan, and their third friend, who joined in for fun, played rather carelessly. They didn’t take Catherine seriously at all.

Branden kept an eye on Catherine’s moves. He initially intended to offer some guidance to Catherine. After all, it was her first time playing poker, and losing too badly could hurt her pride.

However, after observing a few of the cards Catherine played, Branden put aside his intention to guide her. He focused on serving coffee and water. And he did an excellent job at it.

Aidan and his friends played absentmindedly. But when Catherine took several cards from him in a row, he became more alert.

“Miss Swann, you have quite the appetite for these niche cards, don’t you?” he remarked. Catherine smiled slightly and didn’t say much.

However, the atmosphere at the card table took a strange turn. Whenever Catherine played a card, it was as if she had it all calculated, and Triston would always take the card. Triston sat across from Catherine. And he was the player before Aidan.

After Triston took a card, it was Aidan’s turn to play. Regardless of what card Aidan put down, Catherine would always take it as if she had it all planned out.

Aidan couldn’t believe it. He had the most chips. Even if he didn’t win this round, he wouldn’t be the one to lose in the end.

So he continued changing his cards and disrupted his carefully arranged hand to prevent Catherine from winning. “The ace of hearts!”

Just as Aidan put down his cards, Catherine exclaimed, “I win!” Aidan was baffled. He hadn’t expected Catherine to win with such an obscure hand.

Triston glanced at Aidan with disdain.” Mr. Lane, if I didn’t know you take the game seriously, I’d suspect you secretly passed cards to Catherine. What a lousy hand you played. Your skills are terrible!

Aidan was about to retort when Triston looked at Catherine’s cards. Aidan saw it too. After giving her five or six cards in a row, Aidan even gave her the king of spades. There was only the ace of hearts left in his hand.

If Aidan didn’t disrupt his play, Catherine would likely never win. Perhaps it was his lack of skill that was to blame.

Despite the teasing, Aidan had to acknowledge his failure this round. He grinned at everyone and said, “Let’s all congratulate Miss Swann on her comeback. Looks like we can continue the game for another two rounds.’

Branden sat nearby. He had a mysterious smile on his handsome and stern face. He seemed to have seen through everything with his sharp and shrewd eyes.

Triston and the others maintained a polite demeanor. After all, this was Catherine’s first outing as Branden’s girlfriend. They had to show some respect to Branden. And everyone assumed that the game would end soon with Catherine’s chips running out.

However, the unexpected happened. In the following rounds, Catherine seemed to be on fire. Not only did she have good luck with her cards, but her skills also skyrocketed.

She even won several consecutive rounds. She took back all the chips that Aidan and Triston had won from her earlier. In the final round, Catherine managed to pull off an incredible victory. She left the three of them wholly defeated.

With an absolute advantage of winning against all three opponents, she emerged as the undisputed winner.

Triston’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Catherine’s cards on the table. He couldn’t believe it.” Catherine, are you cheating or something?”

Triston, Aidan, and their other companion were all in disbelief.

Catherine looked at them calmly and softly replied, “Is it that difficult? There are only a total of 54 cards. Just remember them all, and it’s that simple.”

The others thought inwardly, ” Remember them all?” Everyone was speechless.

Chapter 142 Humiliation

A complete poker set consists of 54 cards, which was not difficult to remember. But if one wanted to remember the position of each card while shuffling and what was in each player’s hand, it would be impossible.

Even if one could remember the entire sequence of the cards and knew what cards the opponents were holding and what cards were yet to be drawn, it still didn’t guarantee a win. Poker was not only about skills but also about human nature.

Everyone who played poker had their preferences to some extent. Remembering the opponent’s preferences and knowing what combo they liked to win was tough.

Triston looked at Catherine in astonishment, his eyes almost popping out of his head. “Catherine, looks like you’re pretending to be a noob. You’re making fun of us, aren’t you?”

Catherine raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a cold gaze, her tone devoid of warmth. “Is it necessary for me to do that to you?”

Her arrogant and self-important attitude made Triston’s face turn red with anger. He couldn’t help it, so he turned to Branden.

“Mr. Duncan, do something. Look, she’s bullying your friend!”

“Well…” Branden chuckled lightly, his deep eyes carrying a cunning smile as he looked at Triston. “Bullying? Is that so? She was telling the truth, wasn’t she?”

This was just like a game, and Triston was miserably defeated! He deeply regretted that he had sought help from Branden. Not only did he have to watch Branden and Catherine’s public display of affection all night long, but he also had to endure Branden’s humiliation.

With no one to rely on, Triston could only seek comfort from his good friend on the side. “Aidan, these two people keep mocking me! I can’t stand it!”

Facing Triston’s complaint, Aidan snorted coldly. “Hmph!” He pushed Triston away with a disgusted look on his face.

“Mr. Lambert, I advise you to keep your mouth shut, or you’ll humiliate yourself!”

It was no use reasoning with a person like Branden. Branden was famous for being protective of his loved ones. No one dared to offend his woman. Aidan had a deep understanding of this since childhood and always adhered to it.

After teaching Triston a lesson, Aidan counted the number of chips he had lost and respectfully handed them to Catherine with a warm smile.

“Miss Swann, your intelligence is beyond comparison. You’re already so skilled after just a few rounds. From now on, besides Mr. Duncan, it seems we’ll have another person to add to our poker blacklist!” Aidan said, trying to please her.

Seeing Aidan’s flattering demeanor, Triston felt a pang of discomfort in his heart. Why didn’t he learn anything from Aidan, an expert in flattering?

Catherine turned her head towards Branden, who was tidying the table beside her. She pointed to the chips on the table, asking, “How much are these worth?”

Branden knew what she was asking and gestured a number to her. “Ten thousand?” Catherine asked. Branden nodded in agreement, confirming her guess.

One chip was worth ten thousand, and Catherine was faced with a stack of chips. It seemed that she had already won over a million. The value of the chips didn’t make Catherine change her expression. She showed no signs of being shocked.

This piqued the curiosity of Aidan, who had been quietly observing her. Based on Catherine’s attire, she should be a student. Yet, when she knew she had won over a million in this game, she didn’t seem surprised. And she didn’t show any signs of excitement either. Her calm demeanor was quite rare.

Indeed, a woman who could catch Branden’s attention was not simple. Triston glanced at the chips piled on Catherine’s table and approached her with a sly smile. “Catherine, you’ve won so much tonight. How about you treat us to a meal?”

Catherine looked at him with confusion, showing no politeness.” Why should I treat you just because I won?”

Considering Triston’s wealth, the amount of money he spent on this outing was much more than this. He asked just to tease Catherine. Unexpectedly, she was so impolite.

In Catherine’s opinion, this game was Aidan’s doing. If she treated them, it would be disrespectful to Aidan. Besides, who said the winner had to treat?

Aidan, seeing Triston being shut down again. clapped his hands happily. “Miss Swann, you’re truly amazing!”

Branden remained seated, his gaze gently falling on Catherine. While she shone brightly like a star, he concealed himself in the darkness like the sun but always present.

After playing a few rounds of poker, Catherine started to feel tired. When her eyebrows furrowed, Branden immediately sensed it and asked proactively, “Do you want to leave?”

Catherine didn’t respond to Branden but looked up at Triston. “I won’t treat you to this meal, but can I treat you to something else.” Hearing that Catherine was treating, Triston immediately looked excitedly at her.

“What are we going to eat? Is it delicious?” he asked. A faint smile flickered in Catherine’s cold eyes. “You’ll figure it out when we get there.”

Branden held Catherine’s hand and stood up. The two of them left without even saying goodbye, walking with a confident stride.

Seeing them leave, Triston quickly followed. Following Catherine and Branden were much more interesting than staying here. After all, it was rare for them to be willing to take him along.

Seeing Triston’s expression, Aidan knew something interesting must be happening. Despite Triston’s seemingly unrefined appearance, he was quite shrewd behind the scenes. Only by following Catherine and Branden could he have a share of the spoils.

Immediately, Aidan left behind a room full of friends and followed the three of them. Left behind in the room, everyone could only watch with envy as the four people walked out of the private room. They all wanted to tag along with Catherine and enjoy the good food and drinks!

Catherine brought the three of them to Ronin’s house. Ronin had received the news before Catherine arrived. When he heard the doorbell ring, he rushed to open it. A playful smile appeared on his face, but it instantly froze after he opened the door.

He thought it was Catherine alone coming to see him, but who knew she would bring along men?

And there were three men!

Ronin’s face instantly darkened the moment he saw this. “Boss, who are these people?” Ronin’s disdain was palpable in his tone.

Catherine gave Ronin a cold glance, and he quickly lowered his head, like a child voluntarily admitting his mistake. Then, he stepped aside and respectfully invited them inside. Aidan had initially thought it would be something fun, but he didn’t expect it to be a barbecue.

Seeing Triston’s excited expression, Aidan quietly mocked, “Are you a goddamn country bumpkin? Why do you always get so excited at the sight of a barbecue?”

Triston disdainfully glared at him. ” Shut up!”

Chapter 143 Manipulative

Aidan, who thought Triston was inexperienced and easily surprised, was proven wrong. He stared wide-eyed, his face filled with astonishment as he looked at everyone. “Oh my god, what kind of barbecue is this? It’s so delicious! The sauce is so good, and the meat is so tasty!”

His mouth was already swollen from the spiciness, but he continued to enjoy the barbecue without any intention of stopping.

Ronin snorted in disdain. He didn’t need anybody to praise him. The barbecue sauce he made was award- winning. Besides, it was Catherine’s favorite.

He had spent over a month learning from a cuisine master, working hard just to obtain this secret recipe. Then, he carefully modified it according to Catherine’s taste, resulting in the amazing flavor they were enjoying today.

The aroma of the barbecue filled the air, and the surroundings were permeated with its scent. The more Triston ate, the more comfortable he became. He looked at Catherine with admiration in his eyes.

“Catherine, if you had told us earlier you would treat us to barbecue after you won, I would have just lost to you! It tastes amazing!”

Aidan chimed in, “Mr. Lambert’s words make perfect sense!” Losing a few hundred thousand in a poker game was nothing for them. But finding something they loved to eat was not easy.

Especially for Triston, his favorite was barbecue. He even spent millions buying an entire barbecue restaurant to satisfy his craving. Catherine looked coldly at the two foodies in front of her. They couldn’t even stop talking while eating.

Ronin listened to their conversation and frowned. Catherine had secrets that he didn’t know about, and he couldn’t accept that.

“Boss, what kind of game were you playing?” Before Catherine could respond, Triston answered, “Poker! Ronin, we can play together next time!”

Triston was very shrewd. In his view, pleasing Ronin and building a good relationship with him would make it easier for them to have barbecue gatherings in the future. However, Triston wasn’t aware of Ronin’s temper and disgust towards him.

To Ronin, anyone who tried to compete with him for Catherine’s favor was a bastard, his major enemy. He glanced disdainfully at Triston and mocked, Stay away from me. I don’t want to play poker with you. It’s disgusting!”

Triston had always had an easy life and had never been treated like this in front of Branden. But today, he was being looked down upon by a little brat. He wanted to teach Ronin a lesson, but Ronin turned and left before he could speak.

Ronin turned his head and looked at Catherine. The disdainful expression on his face underwent a complete transformation upon seeing her. His gaze towards Catherine conveyed admiration as if he was revering a deity.

“When did you learn it, Boss? Do you like it?”

Catherine responded calmly, speaking softly and with simplicity. “I learned tonight, and I played quite well.”

Upon receiving her response, Ronin was as happy as a child who had just received a candy reward. “I knew it! Boss is the best. No matter what you learn, you excel at it. You can win any game right after you learn how to play it. You’re amazing, Boss. I’ll learn it too, and next time, I’ll play poker with you.”

Seeing Ronin’s eager appearance, Triston and Aidan instinctively looked toward Branden.

After all, he was the absolute master here. Branden’s face was cold, his eyebrows furrowed tightly. His eyes flickered with a domineering aura, making it intimidating to meet his gaze directly.

Branden was somewhat disapproving of Ronin’s attitude towards Catherine. He could tell Ronin admired her, but his admiration was too intimate.

As an ordinary man, it was difficult for him to accept having an attention- seeking admirer by his woman’s side.

“Kathy, do we have any soda?” Branden suddenly spoke, his deep and attractive voice affectionately calling out to Catherine.

Hearing this, Catherine was momentarily stunned. She turned her head and realized that Branden had finished his cup of water. Since they had already been drinking alcohol earlier, they had only been drinking water since they arrived here.

Catherine instinctively wanted Ronin to fetch some soda, but then she thought of Ronin’s attitude toward Branden. She had become accustomed to Ronin harboring hostility towards everyone except her, but she didn’t think anything was wrong with it.

“I’ll get it!” Catherine said and stood up, walking into the kitchen. Ronin stared in shock at Catherine’s behavior. Once he realized what was happening, he glared at Branden, his face filled with indignation. He shouted, “How dare you order Boss around? You’ve got some nerve, dude!”

Ronin had always been the one to prepare everything and present it to Catherine. But this man dared to order her around, which was unacceptable.

Ronin was furious and was about to teach Branden a lesson when Catherine walked out and happened to witness the scene. She looked up and caught a glimpse of the ruthlessness in Branden’s eyes. Her expression changed, and she sternly reprimanded, “Ronin!”

With just one simple word, Ronin fell silent. He felt extremely wronged and reluctantly turned to Catherine, murmuring in a pitiful tone, “Boss…”

Catherine’s face darkened slightly. Her expression became more serious as she coldly said, “Come inside and help me find some soda.”

Catherine was unfamiliar with Ronin’s kitchen because he had never allowed her inside. Catherine’s orders were never to be disobeyed by Ronin, even if he was unwilling. No one noticed that the moment Ronin stood up, the coldness in Branden’s eyes gradually dissipated.

Once Catherine and Ronin turned around, Triston and Aidan gave Branden a thumbs-up, saying, ” Impressive, truly impressive!”

Branden’s move to use Ronin as a pawn left them dumbfounded. Branden was much more scheming than they had imagined. It was no wonder that all the businessmen in Casier would rather go bankrupt than offend him. This man was ruthless and could kill without leaving a trace. Offending him was worse than death.

Branden lazily leaned back in his chair, his deep eyes slightly narrowing as he stared at the glass before him. In his calm and indifferent eyes, there was a sense of casualness.

Was it because Branden was manipulative? Or was it because Catherine was vigilant? Who could tell?

Chapter 144 Declining IQ

Today, everyone who came to Class 8 was cautious. As soon as they entered the classroom, they felt a sense of intimidation from a particular position at the back. Starting from Bryan, it radiated in a straight line and shadowed the whole classroom, affecting everyone in it.

David was trembling in his seat, constantly praying in his heart. His prayer was not for anything special but for Catherine to arrive quickly.

At this point, only Catherine could control Bryan. As long as she appeared, there would be hope for salvation.

When people heard footsteps approaching the door, their hopes were ignited. Unfortunately, when the owner of the footsteps entered the classroom, they were disappointed. It wasn’t Catherine, but Ronin.

Bryan slowly lifted his head. His face turned utterly gloomy the moment he saw Ronin. He glared in Ronin’s direction. His cold gaze seemed like he wanted to tear Ronin apart on the spot.

David and the other students felt the pressure and didn’t dare to look up, shrinking back and remaining silent. They had a hunch that a crazy storm was about to hit. Now, all they could do was think about evading and protecting themselves if a fight broke out. Ronin walked straight towards his seat, getting closer and closer. Suddenly…

Swoosh!

With its legs scraping against the floor, a chair came hurtling towards Ronin. He calmly lifted his foot, stopping the chair in its tracks. At each end of the chair, there was a slender leg. They belonged to two different but equally handsome boys.

The classmates of Class 8 silently swallowed as they witnessed this scene. They would have applauded and cheered for Ronin’s little stunt if it weren’t for Bryan’s prestige. “Oh my,” they exclaimed inwardly, “he’s so cool! 11

Ronin stood with his hands in his pockets, propping his foot up on the chair. His cold eyes stared straight at Bryan, exuding a strong sense of arrogance. With his tongue pressed against his cheek, he had a roguish and charming appearance that would make countless girls gasp.

“What’s wrong? You wanna fight me?”

Bryan’s heart was filled with anger, and he was thinking about where to vent it. It just so happened that Ronin appeared and angered him. “If you want to fight me, then let’s do it. Do you think I’m afraid of you?”

A major battle was about to erupt, and everyone’s heart was in their throat. The bell rang, signaling the start of class. A graceful figure appeared at the classroom door, changing the current situation.

“What are you doing?” A cold voice came, instantly making the tense atmosphere between the two dissipate. Everyone turned their attention in the direction of the voice.

Catherine walked into the classroom, carrying her backpack in one hand. Her sharp eyes scanned Ronin and Bryan. Ronin was delighted to see Catherine. ” Hey Boss, good morning! Have you had breakfast?”

Catherine nodded. Last night, she was still at Audrey’s house, and Audrey suddenly decided to wake up early and make breakfast for her. In the end, however, all that appeared on the table was a glass of hot milk, slightly burnt toast, and a barely recognizable fried egg. Although they didn’t look very appetizing, Catherine still finished them, considering it as a form of encouragement for Audrey.

Ronin smiled happily upon seeing Catherine, but Bryan wasn’t as pleased. Bryan’s eyes were now filled with resentment and grievances as he stared straight at Catherine.

“Boss!”

The way Bryan called Catherine was filled with extreme sadness, making him look like a sullen whiner. The intimidating atmosphere turned the classroom into a pitiful battlefield. Everyone felt helpless in the face of this change, but they could be sure that nothing significant would happen for the time being. After all, the “boss” had arrived. Who would dare to cause trouble?

Upon hearing Bryan’s cry, Catherine felt goosebumps all over her body. “It’s not even spring yet,” she thought, “so why is he screeching like a cat in love?” Fortunately, she maintained her composure and calmly walked to her seat.

The chair Bryan had kicked out earlier was respectfully pushed back into place by Ronin. Then, Ronin invited Catherine to sit down.

“Boss, have a seat, please!” Ronin said. After Catherine sat down, her gaze fell on Bryan beside her. She was not paying much attention to him, but his gaze was like two shining light bulbs, making it hard for her to ignore him.

“What’s wrong?”

Bryan shook his head but then quickly nodded, realizing something was wrong. Catherine rested her cheek on her hand, squinting at Bryan. “Just tell me.”

After thinking for a moment, Bryan spoke up. “Boss, why didn’t you invite me to join you for a barbecue last night?

After speaking, Bryan carefully observed Catherine’s reaction, afraid that she would think he was being clingy. He couldn’t help but feel angry when he saw the pictures Triston and Aidan posted on their social media. They had both gone to the barbecue, but Bryan wasn’t invited. That was not acceptable.

Hearing what Bryan said, Ronin couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the ceiling. “So, Bryan has been moody since morning because of this?” he wondered. “What’s wrong with him? He looks like a little kid! It’s ridiculous!

Catherine was momentarily stunned by Bryan’s question. She turned and noticed him looking at her with a probing gaze, full of caution and resentment, like a wounded rabbit.

“Weren’t you practicing guitar yesterday?” she asked.

Bryan had been devoting himself to practicing the guitar these days, neglecting sleep and food. He was naturally talented, and he could do it very well with a little effort. But in his opinion, it was still not enough. He wanted to become the best in the shortest time possible. He didn’t want to disappoint Catherine!

Hearing Catherine’s response, Bryan looked at her thoughtfully. “Boss, is that why you didn’t invite me?”

Catherine nodded gently. “It was a spontaneous decision last night, and you were busy, so I didn’t invite you. If you want, we can go together next time!

Bryan had been upset and sleepless all night, but at this moment, he finally felt relieved. Now, he understood that Catherine didn’t invite him because she was worried about him and didn’t want to interfere with his practice. Catherine was really good to him. And she even promised to invite him next time. She was so considerate!

Bryan looked at Catherine with anticipation, his eyes shining like stars in the sky. “Boss, remember to call me next time!”

The speed of his emotional change surprised Catherine. She nodded earnestly and agreed. “Alright, I’ll make sure to invite you next time we have a barbecue!”

Bryan’s face lit up with a smile as he stared at Catherine. Without thinking, he blurted out, “Boss, you’re so good to me!”

Catherine thought to herself, “Well, his IQ has been declining lately!”

Chapter 145 Far Behind

Every time Liana practiced, the music room would be crowded with people.. Even though it was just practice, Liana’s reputation as a musical prodigy echoed loudly within the school.

She had been taking piano lessons since she was young, following famous teachers. She had a beautiful appearance, musical talent, decent academic performance, and an impressive family background.

“Wow, look at Liana, she’s truly a talented girl. We will forever admire her!”

“Yeah, if I were half as talented as Liana, my mom would be happy!”

Catherine and Ronin happened to pass by the music room. They overheard the conversation between the girls sitting beside them.

Ronin’s mouth twitched. He rolled his eyes, saying, “Boss, do these people ever think before they speak? Liana is talented? Forget about it.”

Bryan, who happened to be nearby, glanced at Liana, sitting straight with an elegant posture in front of the piano. In school, Liana could indeed be considered a talented girl. But there were always people better than her.

No matter how talented Liana was, she would instantly pale in comparison with Catherine. It was just like a rock compared with a pearl. There was a huge difference. After carefully comparing, Bryan came to a conclusion. “Boss, I agree with Ronin. Liana is far behind compared to you!”

Catherine didn’t expect these two, who always clashed the moment they met, to actually reach a consensus. However, their consensus was so absurd.

When Ronin heard Bryan’s words, his face showed strong disagreement.” You’re insulting our boss, you know? What do you mean by ‘far behind’? Boss and that woman are not even in the same league. How can you compare them?”

Seeing that the two were about to start another argument, Catherine gave them a cold look, full of warning.. Instantly, both of them fell silent.

Even though they were still dissatisfied with each other, they didn’t dare to provoke Catherine. With just one look, they both felt like they were suffocating in a storm, afraid to act recklessly. Catherine had no intention of listening to their discussion, but now she turned her attention to Liana.

Liana’s musical skills were quite good. Catherine was about to close her eyes to Catherine was about to close her eyes to enjoy Liana’s piano playing. But the next verse made her furrow her brows instantly.

Catherine opened her eyes and looked up. Liana made a mistake. Although it was subtle, Catherine still heard it. This kind of mistake was fatal for a top musician. Liana did need more practice.

As Liana finished her piece, she breathed a sigh of relief and was about to stand up to take a bow. Suddenly, Elena stood up. With a sarcastic smile on her beautiful face, she looked at Liana.

“Liana, you are the best, and it’s undeniable. But you know what, I just heard someone compare herself to you. She’s not talented, but she said she’s better than you. What a joke!”

As Liana saw the admiration on her classmates’ faces, she felt a sense of pride. Their recognition was something she deserved. However, Elena’s words instantly darkened Liana’s face.

At the same time, a few girls standing next to Elena also chimed in. They had disliked Catherine for quite some time, but they didn’t dare to speak ill of her. Now, they took advantage of Elena’s comment to teach Catherine a lesson.

“We heard it too, Liana. We all think you are the best, but Catherine claims that you’re not even in the same league as her. Who does she think she is? It’s ridiculous.”

“Yeah, if she’s so great, why doesn’t she go up and play herself?” Catherine turned her head, her cold gaze casually sweeping over the girls speaking. She couldn’t understand why she was blamed for Bryan and Ronin’s words. Was she, as their boss, responsible for their improper comments?

Liana would have thrown a fit long ago if it weren’t for the people present. Right now, her dark face was the result of her immense restraint.

Catherine was indeed Liana’s nemesis. No matter where Liana went, Catherine would always show up. Every word these girls said pierced Liana’s heart like a sharp blade, making her feel like she was about to explode with anger.

Unable to stand it any longer, Ronin stepped forward. He tilted his chin up, looking down on Liana with disdain. He didn’t like this woman and couldn’t stand her showing off in front of Catherine.

“My boss didn’t say those words. I said them. Any problem with that? I was telling the truth. Your piano playing sucks, Liana. You were just embarrassing yourself.”

Elena’s provocation was not enough to make Liana lose her temper. After all, Liana and Catherine still had a sisterly bond. Making a scene would only make Liana seem petty.

However, Ronin was crossing the line. Liana thought that if she didn’t react now, she would appear weak and easy to bully. Liana looked at Catherine with an unpleasant gaze as if trying to tear her apart.

“Catherine, what have I done to offend you? Why do you allow them to humiliate me? You just don’t want to see me succeed, do you? I was just practicing here. What did I do wrong?”

Liana’s grievances resonated with the people present, and they felt that her musical talent was impeccable. Whether these words came from Ronin or Catherine, they were inappropriate.

In their opinion, Catherine didn’t seem to have any talent. She was always so aggressive. It was truly beyond her abilities to speak ill of Liana.

Catherine glanced at Liana, who was playing the victim and acting coy. Drop the act, will you?” Catherine thought. “I know well what type of person you are.”

However, Catherine didn’t want to argue with Liana today. She lowered her head, her eyes darkened, and she said coldly, “Ronin, apologize.”

Ronin looked at Catherine in shock, seemingly not expecting her to ask him to apologize. In Catherine’s opinion, this incident was indeed Ronin’s fault. He was not supposed to make those comments.

Ronin had always obeyed Catherine’s orders without hesitation. If Catherine asked him to apologize, he would do it. However, before Ronin could speak, Elena excitedly shouted. “Apologize? That won’t do.”

Ronin coldly stared at Elena’s cunning face, raised an eyebrow, and asked disdainfully, “So what do you want then?”

Chapter 146 How Did She Know?

Facing Ronin’s arrogant question, Elena wasn’t afraid at all. She was the young lady of the Leighs, their only daughter, so it was normal for her to be arrogant.

Besides, she had people investigate Ronin. He grew up in the countryside and only got into their school because of his exceptional grades. It didn’t matter if this countryside kid looked look. She couldn’t stand him at all!

“Ronin Oconnor, you’re just an ignorant country bumpkin, so I don’t blame you for being used by others.

Listen, we don’t want your apology. We need Catherine to apologize to Liana properly. Today, we’ll figure out who was more talented!”

A country bumpkin?

Ronin coldly studied Elena. It seemed that she had no real abilities. He had just casually arranged an identity for himself, and she took it seriously. “You want Boss to apologize to you?” He scoffed inwardly. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

Catherine looked at Elena’s self- righteous expression, wanting to laugh. She didn’t know where Elena’s sense of superiority came from. Elena behaved like the role of a malicious supporting character in a cheap drama.

Elena was indeed an ignorant woman! Catherine glanced at Ronin. Since they didn’t want him to apologize, so be it.

“Fine, let’s go!”

With her command, Ronin immediately followed. As he passed by Elena, his disdainful look swept over her, accompanied by a cold mockery.”

What a shameless woman! You should look in the mirror and see if you’re worthy of my apology!”

Elena was infuriated by his mockery, her face contorted. “You…”

In front of boys, she had always been the pampered little princess. She had never experienced such humiliation.

Elena was about to explode with anger, but Ronin didn’t give her a chance to retort. She couldn’t argue with such a sharp-tongued man in public.

Ronin wouldn’t show her any respect, and in the end, she would be the one who suffered. As Elena stomped her feet in frustration, a cold voice broke the current stalemate.

“Stop!”

Liana stared intently at Catherine’s back, wishing she could tear Catherine to pieces. Her hands clenched tightly, releasing her inner hatred. “Catherine, you publicly humiliated me, and now you plan to leave like this?”

Catherine stopped and turned around to look at Liana. Her piercing gaze fell slowly upon Liana, devoid of any warmth. “I humiliated you? Are you sure Ronin and Bryan weren’t telling the truth?”

She hadn’t intended to get involved with Liana, but Liana had come looking for trouble herself. Therefore, Catherine didn’t want to behave politely anymore.

Before Liana could react, Elena stepped forward to rebuke Catherine. “Catherine, you’re too arrogant. Who do you think you are to say such things?

Catherine glanced at her sideways, and with just one look, Elena’s heart began to panic. Elena didn’t even know what happened, but being looked at by Catherine felt like someone was strangling her neck. It was painful and suffocating, which sent a shiver down Elena’s spine.

Seeing Elena’s trembling body, Catherine sneered and mockingly said, “You don’t have the right to talk to me. Catherine’s arrogant attitude completely infuriated Liana. She pushed Elena aside and stood in front of Catherine.

“If she doesn’t have the right to talk to you, what about me? Catherine, don’t go too far. You said you didn’t humiliate us, , but why did you ask Ronin and Bryan to say those words?

Who gives you the right to say I’m not as good as you? Do you even understand music?”

Catherine took a small step forward, narrowing the distance between them. She was much taller than Liana and coupled with her dominating presence, she looked much more intimidating than Liana.

“Firstly, I didn’t say any of those words. If you want to attribute what Ronin and Bryan said to me, fine!” Her icy gaze swept over Elena and the two girls beside her. They trembled, their faces turning pale.

Seeing their bewildered reactions, Catherine continued coldly, “As for those exaggerated remarks that you want to throw at me, I wonder if you dare to repeat them!”

Her eyes flashed with a profound chill. Her cold gaze felt like a bucket of icy water poured onto Liana’s face, leaving her defenseless. The aura emanating from Catherine was too powerful. Liana felt as if something was blocking her throat, rendering her unable to make a sound.

Liana’s reaction was entirely within Catherine’s expectations. She glanced. at Liana with a disdainful look, her voice soft and emotionless. “Secondly, there is indeed a difference between you and me, and Ronin was right. Hmph, how do you know that I don’t understand music?”

Her arrogant tone and haughty posture felt like one slap after another on Liana’s face. The overwhelming aura forced Liana to take two steps back. After a few seconds of hesitation, Liana regained her courage and looked up at Catherine intently.

“Fine, since you understand music, why don’t you come up and play a piece? Many people here have a musical background, and we’ll let the audience judge. If you lose, you better apologize to me!”

Liana had practiced the piano for decades, and her sense of music, cultivated since childhood, couldn’t possibly lose to a nobody from the countryside.

“Why should I compete with you?”

Catherine’s indifferent attitude completely infuriated Liana. She stared at Catherine angrily, raising her voice.” Catherine, are you afraid to compete with me?”

“Hmph!” Catherine sneered. ” Concerto, the third section, the seventh bar, the fifth note, and the fourth section, the second note… Did you play them correctly?”

As soon as these words were spoken, Liana’s face turned ashen. “How could it be?” she murmured inwardly. “How did Catherine know?”

There were always many classmates watching whenever Liana practiced in the music room. She would always choose pieces with a higher difficulty level to showcase herself.

Today’s piece was no exception, and the parts that Catherine pointed out were the ones Liana had played wrong or not well enough.

Liana had been conscientious about concealing them, and only top-notch musicians could notice. How did Catherine know?

Seeing Liana’s lack of response, Elena became highly anxious. Elena originally wanted to take this opportunity to teach Catherine a lesson, but she didn’t expect Liana to be so weak. Therefore, Elena had to step forward herself.

“Catherine, what nonsense are you spouting? Do you think you can fool everyone with just a few words? They have studied music since elementary school, and none have raised any issues. Who do you think you are to make those baseless claims?”

“Hmph!” Catherine coldly laughed and looked at Liana. “Why don’t you ask Liana if I’m making baseless claims?”

Chapter 147 Continue to Investigate

Catherine’s sneering eyes were clearly calm. To Liana, they were like two sharp blades scraping down hard on her face, hurting her to the core.

She lowered her head, not daring to look directly into Catherine’s eyes. Catherine’s eyes, as bright as amber, fixed on Liana as if they could see right through her.

Liana didn’t believe that Catherine knew anything about rhythm. It was most likely that Ronin had secretly told her about it. Liana clenched her teeth and made her decision.

When Catherine looked up again, she found that Liana had adjusted herself and was looking at her with a fierce look. But what was the use of being fierce? After all, Catherine was no match for her.

Liana’s gaze was fixed on Catherine. ” Cut the crap, Catherine. If you dare to go up to play a song and gain everyone’s favor, then you’ll win.”

Liana was sure that Catherine wouldn’t dare to go up because of her guilty conscience. Ronin had long been tired of tolerating Liana. Compared to Audrey, Liana, also a daughter of the Swanns, was simply a troublemaker.

“Liana, what do you think you are? On what basis do you think Catherine has to do what you suggest?” Ronin shouted. Even if Ronin did not say that, Catherine wasn’t going to do so. She had always done things as she pleased. She had never listened to the command of others. Her stay there would only make Liana more arrogant, so why should she give her this chance?

Seeing Catherine about to leave, Liana shouted, “Catherine, are you afraid of losing? In fact, you don’t know anything about music, and your words are all nonsense, right? You can leave as long as you admit that you know nothing about music!”

Looking at Liana’s smug face, like she was winning, Catherine suddenly felt pity for her. “Liana, you’ve forgotten why you first pursued music because of your desire to win. It’s really pathetic.”

Liana was taken aback by Catherine’s words. However, to embarrass Catherine in front of the crowd, she had no other choice but to insist at this point.

“Catherine, stop pretending. Do you think everything is going to be fine just by putting up a high profile? Since you said I played it wrong, go up there and play it again.”

The two were at each other’s throats when a boy with a hat sitting at the far corner suddenly stood up.

“She’s right. You just played it wrong,’ the boy said. His voice was not loud, but everyone present could hear it clearly.

“As someone who practiced the piano since childhood, you don’t even dare to admit that you played it wrong. You are indeed pathetic.”

Catherine looked in the direction of the person who spoke and saw that it was a young teenager with a fresh appearance. His most impressive feature was his eye-catching fair skin, which was almost as if it was transparent. Even the capillaries underneath the skin could be seen clearly.

Liana, with her back to him, didn’t know who was talking, but the other party’s words had already annoyed her. Subconsciously, she wanted to teach the other party a lesson and blurted out, “Who is it? How dare you say that? Do you know anything about music…”

Her reproachful words were silenced the moment she turned around and saw the other party. She recognized who he was. She didn’t expect the always-aloof Terry to suddenly get involved in this argument.

Terry shot a cold glare at Liana. “I don’t know anything about music? Liana, how dare you. That girl is right. You’re really pathetic if you don’t even have the guts to admit that you’re wrong.”

Looking at Liana’s defeated expression, as if she had been poured cold water, Ronin felt an inexplicable sense of comfort in his heart. “Who’s this guy? He’s so awesome. Why doesn’t anyone refute his claims?”

It was not long since he came to the school, so not knowing about the school’s affairs was normal.

Hearing Ronin’s doubts, Bryan took the initiative to explain, “This person is Terry Hanke, our school’s renowned musical genius. He is already a high- quality student. The world’s top music schools are clamoring for him even before the exams start.”

Everyone in the school knew that there was a male musical genius called Terry and a female Liana, but those who knew about music understood that Liana was no match for Terry.

But this was an average full-time school, not a music academy. Only a few girls excelled in music, which gave Liana the chance to be on par with Terry.

Everyone in the school was aware of Terry’s position in music. He never socialized with anyone and kept a low profile as if he were invisible, but his musical talent was there for all to see.

Therefore, no one questioned what he said because no one present had as much seniority as Terry, even though they knew music.

Ronin excitedly replied, every word full of extreme sarcasm toward Liana,” Liana, you see it? Is it that Catherine can’t do it? It’s only because you don’t deserve it, you know?

“Catherine is kind and doesn’t want to embarrass you, but you’re making a fool of yourself.”

Terry’s words were like a bucket of cold water thrown in Liana’s face. In comparison, Ronin’s words added fuel to the fire and hurt her to the bone. Liana couldn’t take it anymore and fled in a panic, too ashamed to stay in the music room.

Catherine didn’t bother to argue. She had wanted to leave long ago and would have done so if Liana hadn’t stopped her. Liana came back crying, giving Korbin a headache.

It took a while to calm Liana down and send her away. Korbin leaned back in his leather chair and rested, his face full of exhaustion. The assistant pushed the door in and greeted Korbin respectfully, “Mr. Swann…”

Hearing the sound, Korbin looked at the assistant with slightly narrowed eyes. “How is the investigation going?”

“Mr. Swann, we found out that Catherine has been in close contact with the Duncans recently. As for things related to Catherine in the countryside, they should have been erased by Vicente. We can’t find something useful.”

Korbin couldn’t figure out what Branden saw in Catherine that made him willing to get involved with her. Although young, Branden was exceptionally powerful and famous in the business world.

Ordinary people dared not provoke him. Because of his status and position in the business circle, numerous girls wanted to throw themselves at him. However, he took no fancy to any girl and instead got close to Catherine.

Korbin thought very highly of Branden. If Branden had a crush on Liana, that would be a bonus. If not, it would be fine for him to fall in love with Audrey. However, he chose Catherine, the most disobedient jinx of all.

Korbin’s head hurt just thinking about it. These days, although Catherine did not make a move, she was the chairperson of the Swann Corporation.

Because of this matter, he didn’t know how many times he had been laughed at. Inside, he blamed Vicente for leaving this mess for him to clean up after dying. Fortunately, the time left for the bet was limited. He had endured 10 years.

In a few days, it wouldn’t be a big problem. When the time came, he would kick that jinx out of the board of directors and throw her to the countryside to fend for herself.

Korbin’s eyes flashed a fierce look as he looked toward his assistant. “Continue to investigate.”

Chapter 148 Send You to School

Soon, it was the first round of auditions for the school’s celebration gala. It was an aristocratic school. Whenever it came to a celebration, the school would pay much attention to it and hold a grand event.

Moreover, it was the anniversary celebration this time, so the school authorities attached great importance to it. Even people from art colleges were coming to select talents.

Bryan had been training overtime these days and finally made some headway, and Catherine had already recognized him as part of the team.

The school authorized the students not to wear uniforms during the performance. Bryan had arranged for the best tailor to make a new outfit, which was the same color as his guitar, an invincible match.

Seeing Bryan coming down from upstairs without wearing a school uniform and going out without even eating breakfast, Karl shouted to him to stop immediately. “Brat, dressed like that, where are you going by skipping school?”

Hearing Karl’s words, someone immediately blocked Bryan. Bryan could only obediently turn back and respond, “Grandpa, I’m going to school.”

“Humph!” Karl snorted and rolled his eyes at Bryan with great disdain. ” Going to school? Dressed like this? With such a big black box on your back, are you telling me that you’re going to school? Do you really think I’m old and easy to fool?”

Bryan really felt that Branden shouldn’t be so capable as to let Karl retire at such a young age. Judging from Karl’s vigorous appearance, he should be able to work at the company for a few more years. That way, Karl wouldn’t have the time to keep an eye on him.

“The first round of auditions for the school’s celebration gala is being held today, and I’ve signed up to participate. The school informed us that we don’t have to wear school uniforms.”

Seeing Bryan’s sincere face, Karl cast a glance toward the butler on the side. The butler had been with Karl for decades and knew what he was going to ask with just one look.

Everything, no matter how big or small, was followed by the butler. He knew that Bryan had been practicing his guitar hard at home lately.

Getting an affirmative answer from the butler, Karl became interested and looked at Bryan with an excited face.

“Since there’s a performance, do you want us to go and cheer you on? I’ll arrange for a group to go.”

“Cheer me on? Arrange for a group?” Bryan repeated inwardly. Karl’s words gave him a massive headache.

He wondered, “Does Grandpa think this is a kindergarten performance party? Does he think I’m a kindergarten kid?”

Bryan was speechless and refused with a dark face. “No need, Grandpa. I’ve formed a troupe with my classmates. It’s not so nice for you guys to go and their parents not to be there.”

He was clear that he couldn’t directly reject and refute Karl. Otherwise, when Karl’s temper flared up, he might really arrange a group to go there. Bryan would be the one to suffer at that time.

“Well…” Karl pondered it thoughtfully. Before he could think through the matter, Branden on the side blurted out, “Will Catherine be there too?”

It was rare that Branden, who never cared about family matters, would suddenly ask something. The few of them were shocked and focused their eyes on him.

Branden, however, looked natural. There was no other expression on his cool and handsome face. Only his clear and dark eyes slowly landed on Bryan. His eyes were calm without any emotion, but they gave Bryan an endless sense of oppression.

Bryan did not want to talk to Branden about Catherine. After a stalemate of no more than three seconds, he failed.

“Yeah.” Bryan said. After hearing his response, Branden elegantly wiped his hands, stood up, and said coldly, “I’ll take you to school.

Bryan was furious, but that was all. In front of Branden, he never dared to say anything. He thought, “I’ve already grown up, and I’m not an elementary school student. Is he actually taking me to school? How could he even think of that?”

Bryan knew that Branden was taking him to school because he wanted to see Catherine. The thought of his boss being minded by some other people made Bryan uneasy in his heart.

Even though he had a lot of complaints in his heart, Bryan still had to obediently follow Branden the moment he walked out the door.

This was the rule of the Duncans. The words of the family head were orders. No matter who it was, they had to carry it out unconditionally. Karl, sitting at the dining table, looked at the departing backs of the two men and silently fell into contemplation.

He didn’t expect that his youngest son would actually emotionally change in one day. It was really rare. He noticed Branden’s eyes obviously softened for a moment when Bryan mentioned that name just now. It was unusual.

He thought, “More good show is going to come. What a rare occurrence.”

“Go check that Catherine,” Karl ordered. Hearing the command, the butler hurriedly answered, “Will do, sir.”

Branden took Bryan to the school gate. Before they could get out of the car, Bryan took the initiative to say, “Boss arrives at school every day just as the bell rings. We came early today, so there’s no way we’ll run into her.”

He purposely asked the driver to speed up and didn’t remind Branden because he didn’t want Branden to bump into Catherine. He always felt that Branden was not a good match for Catherine.

Although Branden was excellent and unrivaled in Bryan’s mind, he was a businessman with a mercenary and treacherous nature. He was experienced and cunning, and no one was a match for him.

But Catherine was different. She was refined and unique, like a fairy. How could Branden not understand Bryan’s thoughts? He just didn’t bother with Bryan.

Before Bryan could say more, Paxton had already come to the car door and took the initiative to open it for him.

“Mr. Bryan, please.”

It was evident that Bryan was being driven away. However, he was overjoyed in his heart that he had still achieved his goal. But Bryan underestimated how much Branden was interested in Catherine.

After Bryan walked inside the school, he glanced at the school gate and realized that Branden’s car was parked in the same spot with no intention of leaving.

Bryan couldn’t help but feel a pang of exasperation. “I should have been more careful,” he thought. True to Bryan’s word, five minutes before the bell rang, Catherine appeared.

Catherine saw Paxton standing next to a black car. Paxton was like Branden’s shadow. Whenever Paxton appeared, it meant Branden was also around. Catherine glanced toward the black car. It was different from the last one. It was a Cullinan Black Badge.

“What a fickle man, but he’s dedicated to color. He’s never been in a car that wasn’t black,” Catherine thought. Just as Catherine turned back and headed toward the car, Branden got out of it and stood beside it, waiting for Catherine’s approach.

Standing a step away from him, Catherine raised an eyebrow and fixed her cold eyes on Branden.

“What brings you here?” she asked. Her voice did not have the slightest warmth, nor did her eyes fill with a smile. But she wasn’t as cold and unapproachable to Branden as she would have been to a stranger.

For Catherine, it was already a rare attitude to have. Branden took the food box Paxton handed him and brought it in front of Catherine.

“Here, your breakfast.”

“Did he come all the way here just to bring me breakfast?” Catherine wondered.

Chapter 149 Go Against Her

Catherine was confused. She gave Branden a searching look. Branden’s handsome face revealed a hint of a smile. His lips could not help but lift a bit. “I heard you are participating in the celebration gala selection.”

“Yes,” Catherine answered briefly.

“Can I watch it?” Branden looked earnestly at Catherine. It was one of the few times Branden used an interrogative sentence. He was used to ordering people. His interrogative sentences were only for Catherine.

Catherine was okay with it. All teams would perform in public. Anyone could be in the audience, and so could Branden.

“It’s the early stage now. I’ll let you know when I make it to the final.”

The teams would audition during the qualifying match, and there might not be many qualified performances. Catherine thought it unnecessary for Branden to watch her show at this stage, so she wanted him to be there after she was in the final.

Branden gazed at her with a mischievous smile in his bright eyes. Catherine caught it and walked half a step toward him. She looked into his eyes, her brow raised. She asked lightly, stretching the words, “What? Don’t you think I can make it to the final?”

“You can make it.” Branden’s voice was full of certainty and zero doubt. Catherine suddenly wanted to tease him. “You have faith in me?”

Again, Branden answered without any hesitation, “I do.”

It was only an activity at the school. The Duncan Corporation was the most influential honorary committee member, and the president could help Catherine’s team skip to the final if Branden wanted.

Branden did not worry about the final at all. It all depended on whether Catherine wanted to be in it or not. “Liana, look! Is that Branden, the head of the Duncans?”

Elena pointed at the school gate and spoke to Liana excitedly. Liana’s eyes lit up upon hearing Branden’s name. Her gaze followed where Elena’s finger pointed, and it was indeed Branden..

Liana’s tired heart suddenly freshened up. She looked a lot more alive. Never had she thought that she would see Branden at the school gate.

Elena said with a frown, “Liana, he’s with a girl. Who do you think she is? Her back is so familiar.”

Liana took a closer look, and her eyes widened in resentment. How could the girl’s back not be familiar?

It was none other than Catherine. Liana was too familiar with Catherine’s appearance. “The bitch wants to seduce Branden again? Shame on her!” Liana thought.

Liana was very mad at Catherine. Branden looked at his wristwatch and realized the time was nearly up. He urged Catherine, “Go in. Don’t forget to eat the food I brought you.”

He remembered that Catherine seemed to have problems with her stomach. Catherine looked down at the food container. She could see the bread and omelet with steam through the glass lid.

Since Branden was quite thoughtful, Catherine nodded and said, “Got it. I should go.”

She then whirled around and left without looking back. Branden stood rooted to the spot and watched her leave. His eyes were always cold. They only turned soft when he stared at Catherine’s back.

Elena finally knew who the girl was when Catherine turned around. She gaped at Catherine with her jaw dropped.

“Oh my. How can that be Catherine?”

Liana heard the name and was agitated. She stomped in fury.

“Can you not mention that name?”

Elena shut her mouth after Liana’s rare loss of temper. She remembered well that Liana had claimed only Branden deserved her. Before Liana could approach Branden, Catherine was already flirting with him in front of them. No wonder Liana was furious.

Elena saw through what Liana was thinking. She wanted to cozy up to Liana, so she hurriedly comforted Liana.

“Liana, you don’t need to worry. We all know Catherine is a jinx. Even if she wins Branden’s heart with her filthy methods, it won’t last long. A rich and powerful family like the Duncans will never accept her.”

The more Elena belittled Catherine, the better Liana’s mood became. Seeing Liana’s mood lighten, Elena continued, “Catherine wants to be in the spotlight, right? We can go against her together and eliminate her in the audition.”

Fierceness flickered across Liana’s eyes, and she nodded firmly. The rules were simple. The Student Union and the audience would appraise and elect the best performances from the auditions.

The Student Union had arranged 300 students as the audience to vote. The heads of Student Union departments would be the judges.

Liana and Elena both happened to be the heads of Student Union departments. One was the head of the Publicity Department, and the other was the head of the Liaison Department. They could eliminate Catherine during the auditions if they teamed up and allied with other heads.

Catherine took the food container into the classroom. Ronin was about to hand her the breakfast he prepared when he noticed what she was carrying.

The Duncans’ mark was on the container. Bryan arrived earlier than Catherine, so the food could not have come from Bryan. Other than Bryan, the only person in the Duncans that would do this that Ronin could think of was the sly Branden.

Dissatisfaction rose in Ronin’s heart. He wanted to take the container away and replace it with his food. “Boss, I bought you breakfast too. Take mine. Mine is warmer.”

While he talked, Catherine took the food out of the container. Hearing Ronin’s offer, she rejected subconsciously, “That’s fine. I can heat this.”

Her words left Ronin with no hope. Ronin was heartbroken, feeling like someone had given his heart a blow. Bryan watched at the side and tried to hold back his laughter. He recognized at a glance that the container belonged to his family. It had to be Branden who did this.

Bryan thought Branden’s ploys of winning Catherine’s heart were cunning. When Bryan saw Ronin’s disappointed look, he was satisfied.

Bryan never gained the upper hand during his fights against Ronin. Now that Branden won, as one of the Duncans, Bryan was quite pleased.

Ronin knew there was nothing he could do since Catherine began to eat. He could only give up and report the day’s school news to Catherine.

“Boss, the lessons in the afternoon will all be canceled for the audition. Many other teams asked for leave this morning. Do we need to take leave to practice?”

Catherine had watched them play their parts, but the three had not rehearsed together.

“No. We’ll do it in the afternoon.”

“Okay, boss,” Ronin replied briskly. He loved Catherine for being so badass and confident. And Catherine had the strength to be so.

Chapter 150 He’s Two-Faced

The auditions for the celebration gala started in the afternoon. Other teams were all out to hog a suitable practice room. Many teams signed up for the audition, but there were not enough practice rooms to go around. They needed to hurry up to occupy a space.

George noticed that Catherine and her teammates did not move and felt puzzled. He had no guts to talk to Catherine, so he turned to Bryan, who was relatively friendly and on Catherine’s team.

“Bryan, why don’t you go to the practice room to rehearse? The practice rooms are almost jammed. You will probably not get a space if you don’t move now.”

Bryan looked up at George with a frown as if he had heard something ridiculous. “Boss said we don’t need to rehearse.” George admired Bryan’s attitude. Bryan had always been so confident.

George understood what Bryan meant, but he was still somewhat uneasy. Catherine’s team had never rehearsed since the announcement of the celebration gala, while others all rehearsed their performances more or less.

No one had any idea what Catherine’s team could do. George was worried that Catherine took the task only to help him, but she did not have a natural aptitude for music. If that were the case, George would be the one to blame.

Bryan got down to the music score Catherine gave him three days ago. He did not know what song it was but loved its melody when he hummed it. Some parts of the music score were modified, which happened to be the parts he was not good at.

Bryan was a beginner in music, but even he knew how outstanding the music score was. It was like a song customized for their team.

It was a pity that the music score had no name on it. Bryan did not know who wrote it, or he would visit such an expert and express his admiration.

Several seconds later, George still had not left. Bryan furrowed his brow slightly and looked at George in displease. The cold gaze swept across George’s body and sent a chill down his spine. George realized that Bryan had never changed. He was two-faced.

Bryan was cold, heartless, clever, and firm when in front of other people. Being with Catherine, Bryan was so much different from what other people thought of him.

He was obedient and would play up to Catherine. Sometimes, he would fight Ronin for Catherine’s favor. He was like a puppy dog with his master around.

George sat far from Catherine, Bryan, and Ronin and observed them. Bryan read the music score wholeheartedly, getting acquainted with it. He treated it more seriously than an exam. Ronin was less disciplined. He sat casually on the chair, making himself at home.

Nonetheless, he still held two pens as drumsticks to practice. Catherine, as the center figure of the team, leaned on the desk and slept soundly. George was speechless.