Ch. 211..220

Chapter 211 Talented

Catherine sat in the car with Branden, and Triston, who had originally planned to follow them, silently watched as the car departed. He looked at Audrey and said, “Hey, Audrey, give me a ride, will you?”

Audrey avoided eye contact, kept her head down, and didn’t even look at Triston. Her voice was firm as she said, “I’m not going your way!”

After saying that, she quickly left, pulling Kim along. Watching Audrey’s fleeing figure, Triston stood alone in the wind, feeling confused. Was it because he was not attractive enough or something? Why did girls ignore him like this?

After pondering for a while, Triston turned to Zachary, who was waiting nearby.

“You’re not going my way either?”

Zachary was just worried that he wouldn’t have a chance to explain this matter to Triston, but now that Triston was giving him the opportunity, he was grateful. “How could that be, Mr. Lambert? I’m always going your way! Just wait a moment. I’ll be right back!”

In every social circle, there were hierarchies. Zachary was respected in Aaron’s circle, but in Triston’s circle, he had to swallow his pride. Different circles meant different levels and positions.

The night was charming, and the evening breeze gently stirred the hearts of those who felt it. Catherine leaned against the car window, calmly gazing outside.

Beside her was Branden, whose cold eyes were fixed on her the whole time. He recalled the look in Catherine’s eyes. when she broke Aaron’s leg. At that moment, he understood that Catherine and he were the same kind of person. He was glad that people like them could find each other. It was destiny!

“Can I close the window?” he asked. Hearing his voice, Catherine turned her head and met his sparkling eyes. Before she could respond, Branden pressed the button and closed the window.

Catherine noticed that he was becoming more and more natural in taking care of her, even managing something as simple as closing a car window.

Seeing her pouting in dissatisfaction, Branden found her extremely adorable. Without her noticing, he pulled out a candy from the drawer beside him and placed it into her mouth.

The action came too suddenly, and Catherine hadn’t even had time to react when she instinctively stuck out her tongue and licked it. Did he treat her like a child?

Branden, who had originally intended to retract his hand, froze at that moment. Her soft and warm tongue, like a seductive hook, tightly entangled his hand. Originally, he just wanted to feed her the candy, but now, he had another plan.

His slender fingers gently moved, gliding over her rosy lips, while his other hand held her head and forcefully pulled her towards him. His cold lips pressed tightly against Catherine’s.

The sweetness of the candy, which had been just right, now seemed a bit excessive. Although separated by a partition, Paxton could still sense what was happening in the back seat through the change in atmosphere. His only relief now was that he had raised the partition in advance, avoiding embarrassment and preventing his boss from punishing him.

From now on, he had to be even more careful, raising the partition every time he got in the car. Otherwise, he was afraid that one day he would be fired.

The next day, as soon as Catherine arrived at school, she was surrounded by Bryan and Ronin. She frowned, crossed her arms, and scrutinized the two of them. Ronin said “Boss Iheard you taught Aaron a lesson last night. Really?”

He was not shocked that Catherine broke Aaron’s leg but rather that she had done it herself. Aaron must have really deserved it. Otherwise, Catherine wouldn’t personally take action.

Bryan had also heard about it. The news had spread in their circle last night. They said Aaron had offended the Duncans, and they broke his leg. Bryan didn’t know who had done it until he opened the video and recognized Catherine.

That was the moment Bryan realized how gentle Catherine was towards them in her daily life. Initially, he was worried that the Blatons would cause trouble for Catherine, but when he saw his uncle appear, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Catherine casually nodded and twisted her neck. Playing too many games recently had caused her cervical spine to feel numb.

Seeing Catherine nod, Ronin felt even more heartbroken. It annoyed him that it wasn’t him by Catherine’s side last night, but that idiot Joseph. If it had been him, he would have kicked Aaron’s balls.

“How dare that idiot offend Boss?” Ronin murmured. “He asked for it!”

Breaking a leg was not enough. In Ronin’s opinion, it would be better to break Aaron’s four limbs, disable his ability to speak, and throw him in the streets to beg for money!

Seeing the gossip-filled expressions on their faces, Catherine quickly changed the subject, not wanting to delve deeper into the matter. She was not in the mood to answer such questions.

“How did the song you prepared go?”

Confidently, Ronin blinked at Catherine and said, “Boss, don’t you trust me?”

Catherine glanced at him, staying silent. Since Bryan appeared, Ronin had been feeling a sense of crisis, always trying to show off whenever he had the chance.

Catherine turned her head and looked at Bryan. Realizing the question was directed at him, Bryan quickly answered, “Boss, don’t worry. Everything’s fine!”

“Good!” Catherine nodded. “Rehearse once at noon, and if everything goes well, we’ll wait for the competition!”

“Okay!” they both said in unison, very confident. Soon, it was noon. Bryan followed Catherine to the empty space where the large container truck was still there.

With everything ready, the three of them began their first rehearsal. Ronin brought a chair for Catherine and placed it in the middle of the empty space.

Catherine sat down. Wearing pitch- black sunglasses, she leaned back on the chair, exuding an air of dominance. Bryan turned his head and whispered to Ronin, “Isn’t Boss rehearsing with us?”

Ronin understood what he meant and gave him a disdainful look. “Don’t worry. As long as you and I pass the rehearsal, everything will be fine!”

With Catherine’s musical talent, she could easily win the championship. Rehearsing was meaningless to her. Seeing Ronin’s confident expression, Bryan didn’t know what to say. “Is Boss really that amazing?” he wondered. He knew Catherine was invincible in terms of strength and gaming, but he didn’t expect her to be so talented in music as well. She was truly impressive!

The two of them began to play and sing, but after only half a verse, Catherine raised her hand. They immediately stopped, looking at Catherine in confusion.

Catherine slightly raised her chin, her prominent nose facing the sunlight, her eyes peeking through the gap in her sunglasses.

Her voice was cold and low, devoid of emotion, as she said, “Bryan, your fifth bar in the first section is not good enough. Practice it a few more times and play it again.”

Bryan was shocked. He had made a slight mistake just now, one that he himself might not have noticed. But Catherine could accurately point it out, which was unbelievable!

No wonder Ronin said there was no need to worry about Catherine. With her ability, what was there to worry about?

Chapter 212 Teach Me a Lesson

In Class 8, there was a commotion going on. However, this only happened when Catherine wasn’t taking a break. Whenever she rested her head on the desk, Class 8 would become quiet, and no one dared to speak.

Catherine never specified this rule, but everyone just accepted it. Now, Catherine was playing games, and the atmosphere in the classroom became lively. David and the others gathered around Bryan, making a lot of noise.

“Hey, Bryan, I’ve been hearing you hum this tune for the past few days, and it sounds really good. How about singing it for us?”

With the competition approaching, Bryan didn’t dare to waste time. He was the weakest among the three of them, so how could he afford to be lazy? If it weren’t for his talent, he probably wouldn’t even qualify to be in the group. Catherine was talented, and Ronin was also impressive. They didn’t need too much training.

As for Bryan, he had always been a top- notch talent, and he had never experienced this kind of torment before. In order to not hold his teammates back, he had to give his all. Therefore, he practiced whenever he had the time, never slacking off.

David and the others had been listening to Bryan practice all along. At first, they didn’t think much of it, but unexpectedly, they became fascinated by it.

Now they were begging Bryan to perform the complete version. Bryan pushed away David with disdain. “Get lost. Can’t you see I’m busy?”

David persistently begged Bryan. He had already told his friends that he could ask Bryan to perform it again. With his relationship with Bryan, there shouldn’t be a problem.

“Bryan, consider this practice, okay? How about we go to the cathedral? It will be the competition venue, and I’ve already secured a spot for you. You can treat it as a trial.”

Bryan glanced at him. “Well, well, well, David, you’re a little bold, aren’t you? Making decisions for me, huh? Do you think we need a rehearsal or practice?”

David smiled, trying to please him. “Of course not! Your skills speak for themselves. Bryan, just pity us a little and practice once for us!”

“That’s right!” Everyone chimed in. Bryan finally realized that these people had come prepared, fearing that they would keep annoying him if he refused. Coincidentally, Catherine finished her game, so Bryan approached her cautiously, seeking her opinion.

“Boss, do you want us to give it a try? David is right. It would be good to familiarize ourselves with the stage!”

After saying that, Bryan looked cautiously at Catherine. He didn’t know what she was thinking because he knew that she always insisted on not rehearsing.

In fact, Catherine didn’t resist rehearsing. She simply felt it was unnecessary. Although she was playing games just now, she heard everything David and the others said to Bryan. Since they liked it so much, then they would practice. Catherine narrowed her eyes and said, Sure!” ”

The moment she agreed, everyone around them erupted in excitement. David and the others even cheered happily, “Boss is the best!”

So, a group of people marched towards the school’s cathedral. This cathedral was donated to the school by outstanding alumni and was extremely magnificent. It was usually treated as a church, but on special occasions, it would become a performance venue.

The stage of the celebration gala would be held here, so many students who participated in the competition wanted to practice here.

Every day, the place was packed, and David and the others had already made reservations in advance just to be able to hear Catherine’s group rehearse. While most people would book a time slot, they directly booked the entire afternoon, showing off their influence.

Liana brought Jessica into the cathedral and reported to the registrar in charge of rehearsal planning for the cathedral, intending to use the stage for rehearsal in the afternoon. However, they were told that the entire afternoon was fully booked.

Liana and Jessica were unhappy. They were used to not having to wait in line. They could use the cathedral whenever they wanted because the administrators here were familiar with Nash and would always give priority to Liana.

Liana was unwilling to accept this. They had already come all the way here, so how could they just go back like this?

“Are there so many people rehearsing in the afternoon? The entire time slot is occupied?”

The registrar shook his head. “Not really, although all the slots are booked, there’s only one group rehearsing. Why don’t you go and negotiate with them?”

Hearing the registrar’s words, Jessica was not only angry but also surprised. ” One group occupying the entire afternoon? Who are they?”

“Liana, let’s go take a look. I want to know who these guys are!” Jessica was extremely angry. She didn’t expect that there were people even more powerful than them.

Liana also didn’t want to accept this, but she kept her composure. After all, with Jessica around, it was necessary for Liana to throw a fit. Liana and Jessica arrived in front of the stage and were shocked by the people on the stage.

On the stage, Catherine was helping Bryan tune his guitar. Even though she had her back facing the crowd, her arrogant and wicked demeanor was still recognizable at a glance.

At first, Jessica wasn’t too angry, but when she saw that the person standing on the stage was Catherine, she instantly became furious. “Who does this woman think she is?” she exclaimed inwardly.

Liana stood by the side, clenching her fists. Her fingers turned white with anger. She whispered to Jessica, “It’s Catherine. Well, we should leave. Let her practice. It increases her chances of winning the championship!”

Jessica pushed Liana’s hand away, looked at her with a face full of anger, and said, “Liana, you can’t be too lenient. I know you are a kind girl, but you can’t let her be so arrogant!”

After saying that, Jessica angrily stepped onto the stage, picked up the microphone, and called out to Catherine, “I’m talking to you, Catherine Swann. Don’t you think it’s inappropriate to monopolize the stage for the entire afternoon?”

Catherine had just finished tuning the guitar. When she heard the voice, she turned her head to look at the person. If she remembered correctly, this girl was Liana’s new “best friend”.

After examining Jessica for a second, Catherine rolled her eyes disdainfully. It seemed like birds of a feather flocked together. Seeing Catherine’s expression, Jessica became even angrier. She gritted her teeth and stared at Catherine in frustration.

“What’s with your attitude? Today, you must give me an explanation about the stage. Otherwise, I’ll teach you a lesson! Catherine crossed her arms and looked at Jessica with a cold gaze.

“Who do you think you are? Why do you think I owe you an explanation? Come on. Teach me a lesson now!”

As Catherine said this, Ronin and Bryan had already put down their instrument and stood behind Catherine, staring coldly at Jessica.

Ronin sighed inwardly. “Ah, here we go again. Why would these idiots keep bothering Boss? Are they insane?”

Chapter 213 Amazing Performance

As the crowd gathered, Liana had an idea and walked up to the stage, tightly holding Jessica’s hand. To outsiders, it seemed like Liana was helping to mediate, which was rare for her to do at a time like this.

Liana kept persuading Jessica while pulling her hand. “Jessica, let it go.” 11 After saying that, she turned her head and looked politely at Catherine.

“Catherine, Jessica brought her dance costume today. You don’t need to rehearse the whole afternoon, right? I remember that there are usually five or six groups rehearsing in the afternoon. Can you spare some time for Jessica? It doesn’t matter if I practice or not!”

Liana was quite clever. She indirectly criticized Catherine, accusing her of taking the opportunity of five or six people. At the same time, she praised herself and pretended to be good to Jessica. Her tactics were really impressive!

The more Jessica listened to Liana’s words, the angrier she became. She looked at Catherine with disgust.

“Liana, why are you always speaking up for her? Clearly, she’s in the wrong. She’s just a wild child who grew up in the countryside without anyone to discipline her. She’s uncultured and doesn’t understand any manners!”

“What did you say?” Catherine hadn’t even gotten angry yet, but Ronin exploded with rage. He was an orphan, and if it weren’t for Catherine, he wouldn’t be where he was today. He hated it the most when others called him a wild child. Similarly, he would never allow anyone to say a single bad word about his boss. Seeing that Ronin was about to charge forward, Bryan quickly stopped him.

Bryan was well aware of what kind of person Liana was. She had been instigating a lot of things before. Despite her seemingly gentle and weak appearance, she was a typical hypocrite. She would cause trouble and then find someone else to take the blame.

At first, Bryan didn’t know her well and felt indifferent towards her. But now that he knew her better, he found her manipulative nature detestable. He stopped Ronin because he thought it wasn’t right for a man to hit a woman, but that didn’t mean he didn’t despise Liana and Jessica.

When Bryan heard Jessica’s arrogant words, he was also furious and pointed at her, cursing, “You look down on others for being from the countryside?

Have you ever thought about the days when your grandparents were in the business of cleaning up other people’s shit?”

The Freemans didn’t start off wealthy. Jessica’s grandfather was a servant before he made his fortune in the toilet business.

The Freemans had always been ashamed of their past. While not many people in Casier knew about it, some in the upper circles did. However, in their daily interactions, people would show some respect to the Freemans and didn’t mock them.

He had exposed it publicly only because Jessica had provoked Bryan. Instantly, everyone burst into laughter. Everyone knew that the Freemans had made their fortune in the toilet business, but they never expected that Jessica’s grandfather used to be a servant.

Jessica didn’t expect Bryan to expose this scandal at this moment. If someone had exposed it, she could have refuted it.

Bryan never got involved in such matters. With the power of the Duncans, he did not need to tell such lies. Jessica’s face turned red, and she stood still, almost fainting.

Liana, seeing Jessica’s defeat, was about to step forward. But Bryan had already seen through her scheme and directly exposed her.

“And you. Don’t always act all gentle and weak, pretending everyone bullies you. Don’t think we’re all fools who can’t see through your schemes. We will rehearse the whole afternoon, and everything will be done according to proper procedures. Don’t try to fool us with your tricks. They won’t work!”

After Bryan finished speaking, David immediately chimed in, “That’s right. We followed proper procedures. Our five groups applied, but we don’t want to practice right now. We’re willing to give our rehearsal time to Catherine and her team. Any problem with that?”

To secure the stage, David had deliberately arranged for four or five groups to register. They offered their rehearsal time to Catherine, meaning they were not forcefully occupying the stage.

Other people in the crowd also expressed their opinions. Their dissatisfaction was directed towards Liana and Jessica, not Catherine and her team.

“How dare they speak ill of others? They are always cutting in line. Last time, they forcefully pushed me out. Why didn’t they mention that?”

“That’s right. We willingly gave up our practice time for Bryan. What does it have to do with them? Acting like they’re some saviors, it’s disgusting!”

“They should check their behavior before accusing others of occupying the stage. Jessica Freeman is known for her domineering attitude. Everybody knows!”

Seeing that the situation was not in their favor, Jessica lost all her fighting spirit. There was no other choice. Liana could only drag her away in shame amidst the scolding and disdain of the crowd.

Perhaps they had never been so embarrassed in their lives. Ronin had been angry at Bryan for blocking him and not giving him a chance to teach Jessica a lesson. But he was surprised at how authoritarian Bryan was when he fought back.

Seeing the two idiots fleeing, Ronin couldn’t help but reach out and pat Bryan on the shoulder. “Not bad, kid. You’re a genius when it comes to sarcasm. I like you!”

Bryan rolled his eyes at Ronin and turned around to tune his guitar. His indifferent attitude instantly infuriated Ronin.

“You little brat, do you want to fight?”

Ronin angrily rolled up his sleeves, preparing for a big fight. But when he looked up, he met Catherine’s eyes. Thinking about how Catherine didn’t like them causing trouble, he instantly stopped, not daring to act rashly.

“Boss, I’ll go prepare the drum set!” After saying that, he obediently ran off. With the two annoying people gone, the remaining people were all eager to see Catherine and her team’s rehearsal.

Last time, her performance was already shocking enough. This time, they would perform on the stage, which greatly piqued everyone’s anticipation.

The moment the music started playing, everybody was excited. Catherine’s angelic voice struck everyone’s hearts and left them mesmerized.

“Oh my god, how can someone sing so beautifully!” “Yeah, this song is really amazing. What’s the name, and who is the original singer?”

“Shut up, don’t distract us from listening to the song!”

Amid this appreciation and admiration, the music stopped. Not only the audience below but also Bryan was shocked by the complete performance. He didn’t expect the song to be so good!

Finally snapping out of their trance, David and the others clapped frantically, cheering for an encore, hoping to hear it again.

Unfortunately, Catherine suddenly put away the microphone and left. Catherine hadn’t expected to gain anything new from rehearsing. She always aimed for perfection, and this rehearsal made her discover a minor issue, so small that it wasn’t noticeable.

But it wasn’t enough for Catherine, who always strived for perfection. She had to correct it. Everyone looked disappointed as Catherine left. Who would dare to demand a performance from her?

But they were sure about one thing- their performance was outstanding!

Chapter 214 An Unusual Meal

Catherine was taken aback when she received a call from Triston. Usually, it was Branden who accompanied her, and Triston rarely called her alone. Triston’s voice sounded a bit strange. Catherine, school’s over, right?”

Catherine didn’t have time for his nonsense and interrupted him directly, “Get to the point!”

Triston didn’t dare to act rashly, and he immediately became obedient. ” Catherine, it’s not me who wanted to call you. Aidan forced me to call you. He wants to invite you to dinner tonight but is too afraid to call himself, so he asked me to do it.”

Aidan, who was standing nearby, almost rushed up to strangle Triston. When Triston had just received a car from him, Triston said everything was on him. But now, Triston sold him out.

“You’re driving me crazy, you idiot!” Aidan cursed inwardly. Catherine paused for a moment and made a decision the next second. ”

Alright.” Triston thanked her profusely and hung up the phone, then turned to face Aidan’s eyes full of hatred. Triston coldly said, “What are you looking at? Isn’t everything settled? What else do you have to complain about? If you think you’re a tough guy, call her yourself!”

Aidan could only hold back his anger. Fortunately, Catherine agreed. Otherwise, he was really worried that he wouldn’t be able to control himself and kill Triston on the spot!

Catherine hung up the phone and left school. Both Triston and Aidan were Branden’s friends. Otherwise, Branden wouldn’t have taken her to meet them. Since they wanted to invite her to dinner, she decided to go. She had already faced danger head-on, so what was there to fear?

However, Catherine didn’t expect that as soon as she stepped out of the school gate, she saw that familiar car.

Catherine walked straight towards the car. Branden got out of the car, opened the door, and helped Catherine sit inside. “Did you also receive a call from Triston?” she asked. Branden nodded slowly. “I told him to call you himself!”

Triston didn’t dare to privately contact Catherine without Branden’s permission. He would be in big trouble if he accidentally got accused of trying to snatch Mr. Duncan’s girl. Catherine responded indifferently, “I heard Aidan requested to invite me to dinner?”

“Yeah!” Before Catherine could ask further, Branden explained. “The Lanes have some distant relationship with the Blatons.”

With this statement, Catherine understood everything. Casier might be a big city, but the upper social circles were limited to these people. They liked to engage in arranged marriages and alliances, so hearing about someone related to another family was common.

Since Catherine had known the other party’s intentions, she didn’t have to ask anymore. She was tired. She hadn’t rested in the afternoon and was feeling exhausted. She lazily leaned back in the chair and didn’t want to move.

The seats in Branden’s car were comfortable, especially the backrest. It was just the right balance of softness and firmness. Not bad!

Seeing her sleeping like a tired little cat, Branden reached out and pulled her into his arms, allowing her to lean against him.

“Rest for a bit. We still have some traffic ahead. I’ll wake you up when we arrive.”

“Okay!” Catherine lazily hummed, adjusted herself to a comfortable position, and showed no politeness.

Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a grand restaurant. Branden had initially planned for Catherine to rest, but after the car came to a stop, she woke up on her own. She groggily opened her eyes, still dazed from just waking up, without her usual coldness and distance.

“We’re here?”

“Yeah!” Branden grunted, picked up a hot towel from the side, and handed it to her. Catherine never wore makeup, so after waking up, she refreshed herself by wiping her face with the hot towel. She instantly felt rejuvenated.

Once she was ready, Branden took her hand and led her out of the car. Inside the private room, four or five people were already sitting, seemingly waiting for Catherine and Branden.

When Triston and Aidan saw the two of them, they immediately stood up. Aidan eagerly stepped forward and took over the waiter’s job, helping to pull out chairs for Catherine and Branden.

“Mr. Duncan, Catherine, you’ve finally arrived. Please take your seats!” Catherine lazily glanced at him and said nonchalantly, “Mr. Lane, you’re being polite today!”

A simple sentence made Aidan’s heart skip a beat, and he thought something was off. He didn’t dare to say much and could only force a smile, awkwardly laughing. “Oh, it’s my honor to serve you, Catherine!”

He felt bitter inside but couldn’t express it. He regretted having such a foolish relative from the Blatons.

The Lewises, on the other hand, were shrewd and had already distanced themselves, keeping themselves out of trouble.

As for Aidan, he had to fix all these problems by himself! After Catherine and Branden took their seats, the dinner began. After exchanging a glance with Triston, Aidan didn’t immediately speak, following Triston’s hint.

From the moment Catherine entered the private room, she felt a gaze fixed on her. She shook her head and raised her eyes, meeting the unflinching stare across from her. She smirked and didn’t respond.

Seeing that Catherine didn’t throw a fit, Terrance secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was his first time seeing a woman with such a terrifying gaze, especially one so young and seemingly underage. It was hard to imagine that such a young girl could be so fearsome when she got physical!

After his brother was sent to the hospital, the doctor said his legs were shattered, making it extremely difficult for him to stand, and his arms were completely broken.

The doctor couldn’t believe that a girl could have such strength, as even a normal adult man wouldn’t possess it, let alone a bookish girl.

But that was the reality. With so many people witnessing it firsthand, it was evident how terrifying Catherine truly was.

Seeing Aidan remain silent, Terrance grew anxious. His wife was Aidan’s cousin, and this time, he had to swallow his pride and ask his wife’s family for help to invite Aidan here. Otherwise, who would dare take the risk of offending the Duncans?

Now, the Blatons were on the verge of collapse, and every minute he spent here felt like torture. He was so anxious, utterly devoid of his usual calm and composure.

Terrance heard that there was a mysterious power behind Catherine, and they had already reached an agreement with his father, sparing the Blatons. But just because they spared the Blatons didn’t mean Branden would let the Blatons off the hook.

Terrance had gathered information about what happened that night and knew exactly what that bastard had done and said.

Catherine was Branden’s woman, but that bastard had dared to say such things to her. How could Branden let the Blatons off the hook?

Now, he didn’t hope that the Duncans would let go. He only hoped they would not eradicate the Blatons, for Aidan’s sake.

Chapter 215 A Free Servant?

Aidan had been receiving hints from Terrance, and if he hadn’t known that Terrance was different from Aaron and Jameson, he wouldn’t have been willing to help the Blatons. How could he risk offending Branden?

Just the thought of it made Aidan irritated. After hesitating for a moment, he seized the opportunity to make an introduction.

“Catherine, this is my cousin’s husband, Terrance Blaton!” Finally, it was his turn to be introduced, and Terrance eagerly picked up his glass.

Catherine, who had been sitting quietly, reached out and picked up a lobster when she heard the sound. Then, she threw it directly in front of Branden.

Initially, everyone thought it was a normal gesture for Catherine to serve Branden, as many people wanted to show him their respect but never had the chance.

However, her action seemed a bit rude, as the lobster was thrown in front of Branden without even being opened. Branden’s eyes scanned the lobster before him, and he elegantly wiped his hands before dismantling it piece by piece.

Using a specially designed tool, he shaved off the lobster meat and piled it on a clean, small plate. Exceptional people were always different from others. Even watching him dismantle a lobster was like appreciating a performance.

To everyone’s surprise, Branden didn’t immediately enjoy the lobster after dismantling it. Instead, he brought the whole plate of lobster meat to Catherine and even dipped it in the sauce for her.

“Enjoy!”

His deep voice was full of gentleness, and the smile on his face showed how much he loved her. The people around finally understood what was going on. It turned out that Catherine wasn’t serving Branden but treating him as a free servant.

In the entire Casier, perhaps Catherine was the only one who dared to give orders to Branden like this. Terrance had thought that Catherine was just a woman of Branden’s, and the Duncans wouldn’t really offend the Blatons and Lanes for a woman.

Now, he was utterly shocked by this scene. It turned out that he was completely wrong. This woman could command Branden in such a casual way. It showed her extraordinary status. Terrance held the glass in his hands, and his attitude changed completely.

He respectfully bowed and sincerely said, “Miss Swann, I am Terrance Blaton. You may not know me, but my younger brother offended you yesterday. I am here today to apologize on his behalf. I hope you can forgive us.

Catherine’s eyes were as enchanting as the night. She raised an eyebrow slightly, giving Terrance, who was bowing, a mischievous smile.

“Oh, so you’re here to apologize!”

Terrance straightened up and nodded slightly. “Yes, Miss Swann, I’m truly sorry. It was my foolish brother who offended you, and we will definitely discipline him when we get back!”

“No need!”

These two simple words instantly made Terrance’s heart skip a beat. His face turned pale, and he felt a sense of panic inside. What did Catherine mean by this? What Aaron had done was really unforgivable. Before Terrance could figure it out, Catherine gave him the answer.

“I said, there’s no need to apologize! First, it wasn’t your fault!”

After saying this, she raised an eyebrow and looked at Terrance sharply. “If I’m not mistaken, he is your half-brother, right?”

Being publicly confronted with family matters, Terrance felt embarrassed but could only nod. He certainly didn’t want to help his foolish brother, Aaron. Over the years, his father had done so much for that idiot, causing them to offend many people.

In the past, the Blatons could handle it. Jameson, his father, was the one in charge, and Terrance had no say in the matter. He could only endure it. But this time was different. It threatened the foundation of the entire Blaton Group, and he couldn’t just stand out for his family.

Seeing him nod, Catherine continued. Second, your brother offended me, and I broke his leg. The debt has been settled, so why bother coming to apologize?”

Terrance knew what Catherine said was true, but since the incident yesterday, everyone knew that the Blatons had also offended the Duncans.

The Duncans had even intentionally spread the news that any business that had a contract with the Blatons should voluntarily terminate it before the Duncans took action. Who would dare to offend the Duncans?

With such a disturbance, the Blaton Group wouldn’t last a week before going bankrupt. Today, Terrance came to beg for Catherine’s forgiveness, but more importantly, he wanted forgiveness from Branden.

Terrance glanced at Branden but didn’t dare to say it out loud. Catherine knew Terrance’s true intentions, but what did it have to do with her if it was Branden who had the final say? Why should she go to Branden to plead for an outsider? Who did the Blatons think they were?

Terrance had prepared a bunch of excuses, but Catherine had shut him down with just a few words. Now, he didn’t know what to say and stood there in a daze.

Catherine leisurely picked up a piece of lobster meat and enjoyed it. After effortlessly finishing her meal, she put down her fork and said to Branden, I’m full!”

Branden smiled at her tenderly and said, “Alright, let’s go back then.” There was a hint of concern in his tone as he looked at her tired appearance. Earlier in the car, he planned to turn the car around and return home, but she woke up when the car stopped.

Since she wanted to come, he respected her decision. No one could stop her now that she was full and wanted to leave.

Catherine stood up, and Branden held her hand as they left in front of everyone. Who would dare to stop these two big shots?

When they reached the door, Catherine suddenly stopped and looked back at Terrance. Terrance’s eyes instantly lit up with hope, but Catherine’s words were not about pleading with Branden for him.

“Oh, by the way, you might want to take your brother and father for a check -up when you have time. You might be surprised!”

Looking at the mischievous smile on Catherine’s face, Terrance was confused. Catherine didn’t care about him, turning to leave. As she walked away, she hummed a tune. “Cheating… Love is full of cheating…”

The people in the private room finally realized something. Triston’s gaze was fixed on Terrance, and he couldn’t hide his smile. Since he was familiar with Terrance, he joked openly. “Well, Mr. Blaton, it looks like the Blatons need a proper DNA test right now!”

Terrance remained silent with a serious face. He knew that Catherine wouldn’t suddenly make things up. If Catherine could bring the Blatons to the brink of destruction in an instant, it was highly possible that she had discovered some information they didn’t know. For example, Aaron’s background!

Aidan knew the situation well. He softly patted Terrance’s shoulder and reminded him. “Terrance, when it’s time to decide, just make it. Catherine made it clear enough that it wasn’t your fault! She has shown you enough respect!”

Just the fact that Aaron called her a high-end prostitute” was enough for Branden to take drastic measures. If Terrance still didn’t understand the severity of the situation, the Lanes, who were relatives of the Blatons, would have to cut ties with him early.

The Blatons were undoubtedly going to be annihilated, but it wasn’t Terrance’s fault. Catherine was clear about who had wronged her. She only took action against those who offended her.

Terrance slowly realized what was going on and nodded. “Sure, Aidan, thanks for your help. I have something else to attend to, so I’ll head back first!”

Aidan knew that Terrance would investigate Aaron’s background, so he didn’t stop him. He simply cautioned Terrance to be careful and let him go.

Chapter 216 We Are His Friends!

Branden led Catherine out of the restaurant, ready to get into the car. Aidan and Triston chased after them. Hearing the noise, Branden and Catherine both turned around. Aidan and Triston froze in their tracks, standing there awkwardly, wearing embarrassed smiles.

Catherine glanced at them without saying a word: After all, Branden was still standing beside her. It would be better to let him handle it. Aidan discreetly pulled Triston’s sleeve, signaling him to speak up.

Triston’s face darkened, and he shouted. “Damn, I came out with you to find out the gossip about your brother- in-law’s family. Now, you should go up and ask her yourself.” His words were full of righteousness, as if he had already mastered the truth in his hands.

Aidan’s eyes almost popped out when he heard this. He never expected to be fooled by Triston again. After not seeing each other for a few years, Triston had become increasingly scheming.

However, Aidan couldn’t even express his depression for now. He could only keep calm and swallow his pride. Branden didn’t have time to watch the two clowns fooling around. Catherine was tired and wanted to go back to sleep.

The car door opened. Branden led Catherine had hardly got in when two figures rushed over like arrows and sat in the car, one in the front and one in the back.

Triston snatched the passenger seat without any hesitation. Aidan was surprised, wondering, “Why doesn’t this guy want to sit in the back?”

Catherine leaned against the car door, casually looking at Aidan and Triston.

“If you’re so curious, why don’t you investigate it yourselves?” Catherine didn’t believe that with the power of the Lamberts and Lanes, they couldn’t find the information they needed.

Aidan raised his eyebrows slightly and laughed. “Ha, investigate it ourselves? It’ll be much more convenient to ask you, Catherine. But how did you know? Did Mr. Duncan investigate it?”

Branden’s gaze fell on Catherine. Jameson had always been a cautious person, known for being meticulous in his business dealings. However, Jameson didn’t even know that his beloved youngest son wasn’t his own. It showed how clever his mistress was. But in that case, how did Catherine realize it?

Although Aidan and Triston couldn’t completely figure out Branden’s thoughts, they could tell from Branden’s expression that Branden probably had nothing to do with this matter.

All three’s gaze focused on Catherine. Triston couldn’t help but say, Catherine, just do us a favor and tell us the truth!”

Catherine raised an eyebrow, looking at them with a disdainful expression. ” Can’t you tell that Jameson and Aaron don’t look alike at all?”

From when Jameson appeared, she felt he didn’t resemble Aaron, especially in certain facial features. Jameson had a big nose, while Aaron had a small one. And Jameson had large earlobes, while Aaron did not.

These were all dominant genetic traits, and although they weren’t entirely conclusive, the differences in their facial features were indeed suspicious.

Catherine had instructed Joseph to investigate Jameson and Aaron’s relationship, and surprisingly, she found something.

“I had someone take a blood sample from Aaron while he was undergoing surgery. We compared it to Jameson’s. And now you all know the results!”

After Catherine finished explaining, Aidan and Triston applauded excitedly. “Catherine, you’re amazing. You are so smart!” Branden looked at Catherine with a smile in his eyes. She was truly incredible, wasn’t she?

Then, Branden slowly raised his head and looked ahead. Paxton felt a familiar sense of pressure behind him, a strong aura surrounding him. He instantly understood his boss’s intention and parked the car to the side, opening the door.

Triston was shocked, looking at Branden in panic. He begged, “Mr. Duncan, we don’t even have a chance to get a taxi here. It’s late at night, and it’s so cold…”

Before he could finish, Branden gave him a cold glance. With just one look, Triston trembled and scrambled out of the car.

Aidan didn’t understand what was happening and was still a bit confused. He was then kicked out of the car by Branden. Paxton swiftly closed the door after the two got out of the car. The black Bentley disappeared into the darkness.

Aidan held his throbbing thigh, grimacing in pain, cursing in the direction the car had left. “Can’t believe Mr. Duncan has become so focused on his woman that he’s abandoning us like this! We’re his friends!”

Triston coldly eyed Aidan and said disdainfully, “Is this your first day knowing him? If it weren’t for Catherine, you wouldn’t even have had a chance to get in the car!”

Aidan finally realized that Triston had known all along. No wonder Triston made him sit in the back just now. Triston wanted him to bear the brunt of Branden’s anger.

“Ah, you cunning guy,” Aidan murmured inwardly. “Where did you learn all these manipulative tricks? I want to learn them too!”

Terrance rushed to the hospital with his wife at night. Jameson immediately stood up as they entered the ward and went to Terrance’s side. “Terrance, how is it? What did Mr. Duncan say?”

Terrance looked at his father with a grim expression. His father, once wise and imposing, was his hero. But now, his father acted like a fool, panicking in the face of disaster.

Terrance replied in a cold tone, “What else can I do? Haven’t you heard about Mr. Duncan’s temper? He’s a devil in the business world!”

Jameson had a solemn face filled with helplessness and frustration. Sylvia, who was standing aside, looked disdainful and made sarcastic remarks.

“Tsk, tsk, I used to think it was impressive of you to marry a wife with status and influence. But now it seems that she’s useless!”

When Terrance married his wife, Sylvia was very dissatisfied. In her opinion, Terrance, as the legitimate eldest son, already had a better chance of inheriting. It would be a strong alliance if he were to marry a woman with a powerful family background. Then, when Jameson passed away, there wouldn’t be a place for her and her son.

Whenever Sylvia had the chance, she would humiliate Terrance’s wife. Now was no exception. Terrance’s wife became highly embarrassed, but she refrained from taking action due to her noble upbringing and the various social constraints she had been subjected to since childhood.

Seeing his wife being wronged, Terrance quickly comforted her while glaring angrily and dissatisfied at Sylvia.

Sylvia pretended to be flustered, patting her chest and approaching Jameson with a frightened look. “Look at your son. He looks like he wants to kill me. It’s so scary!”

Chapter 217 He Is Cuckolded

Hearing his wife’s frightened look, Jameson hurriedly comforted her. Sylvia was more than ten years younger than Jameson. She looked perfect for her age. She was almost forty but seemed only thirty.

She was adept at manipulation and coquetry, so Jameson adored her deeply. Jameson patted Sylvia’s back and glared at Terrance. “How could you say that to Sylvia? Apologize!”

Terrance was so disappointed with his father. He went about the trouble Aaron caused and begged for forgiveness. Yet, his father took Sylvia’s side and rebuked him. Terrance could not stand it anymore.

He finally understood that Aidan was right about his family. The Blatons were so hopeless. It was time for Terrance to draw a line with them and save himself.

He looked up at his father, his eyes firm. “Dad, the only thing we can do is to cast Aaron and this bitch out of our family. In that case, our family might still have hope.”

His words irritated Sylvia, but she was scheming and clever enough not to curse Terrance but ask Jameson to have her back.

“Jameson, you saw how Terrance treated me. He dared to say so in front of my face, so you can imagine how he spoke ill me behind my back-poor me. Aaron is still lying there unconscious. Why don’t you just let me die?”

Jameson was also enraged. He snapped at Terrance sternly. “You bastard! How dare you! Apologize to Sylvia, or you will be the one that is cast out of the family.”

“Well, well.” Terrance sneered. “Go ahead and cast me out. Think about it. What else will the Blatons still have after offending the Duncans?”

Sylvia panicked. She thought Terrance did not care about the family because the Blatons were going bankrupt. If that were true, Terrance still had the legacy his mother left him and a wealthy wife, but Sylvia had got nothing.

She could not let Terrance abandon the family. She begged hard with the grievance, “It’s my fault. Jameson, Terrance, please, stop arguing.”

Terrance hated Sylvia for pretending to be so pitiful. He looked sternly at Sylvia, who stood on the edge of a precipice without knowing it.

“You can drop your act now. We all know what shameful secrets you are hiding.” Sylvia was livid. She stared daggers at Terrance, wishing she could rush to him and tear him apart.

“What are you talking about? Why do you have to be so sour? I see. You want to abandon your father and run away when the family has a crisis. Am I right? You are a jackass. You will get your comeuppance.”

Terrance fixed his eyes on Sylvia and asked her, “Sylvia, why don’t you talk about who the troublemaker is? We would not be in such a disaster if your precious son did not cause the trouble.”

“Damn it! That’s your younger brother! “Jameson roared with fury. Terrance still smiled coldly and calmly. “You are wrong. That’s not my brother.

Sylvia’s body froze with fear, but she maintained her composure. Jameson thought that his eldest son was crazy and refused to admit that he had a younger brother.

However, what Terrance said the next second seemed to have set off a bomb. Terrance stared at Jameson. An evil smile played on the corner of his lips, making him look somewhat ferociously.

He was not hysterical or bellowed with rage. He only spoke calmly, like talking about something ordinary. “Dad, tell me this. How can a type A blood and a type B blood give birth to a type O blood?”

Jameson was shocked, and his pupils were dilated. He seemed to age some years instantly. He was not a fool. Neither was his son. He could easily expose such a lie if Terrance lied about it.

Sylvia was dumbfounded. It took her quite a while to react. She took Jameson’s hand with her body trembling. “Jameson, that’s not true. Don’t believe him. Terrance was framing me!”

Terrance snorted coldly with disdain and took his wife to leave the ward, which disgusted him. His mother had long passed away, and there was no one worth Terrance sticking around for.

After receiving the news about what happened among the Blatons, Catherine smiled faintly and ordered Ronin, “Ronin, investigate Terrance and see if he is a talent. If so, keep him.”

“Yes. Boss. Leave it to me.” Ronin thought that Terrance was quite lucky. The Blatons were beyond saving. It would do no good to Terrance to stay with them anymore. If Terrance could work for Catherine, that would be a blessing in disguise. As Ronin thought, something else suddenly struck him.

“Boss, after we release the news of you and David officially signing the contract, plus the order the Swanns signed with our base, you will surely win in the valuation adjustment mechanism.”

It was still yet to come to the set time, but Catherine could easily double the market value of the Swann Corporation and get its stock price surge with the two contracts.

Ronin wanted to laugh. Those people were overreaching themselves by trying to fight against Catherine.

“Yeah,” Catherine mumbled muffledly. She was not surprised by her victory. She had arranged the projects well enough to ensure that the market value of the Swann Corporation could soar.

It was only that Catherine did not know what reaction Korbin would have after he heard the news.

The Swanns owned enough of the industries. Korbin had spent most of his life managing the businesses. How would he be willing to give up now?

Catherine decided not to think and just let things be. She only wanted to rest. Go back to your practice. We will have the preliminary the day after tomorrow and the final next week.”

When he received Catherine’s call, Ronin was practicing the drum set.

“Yes, Boss. I will work harder on it.”

Two days later came the preliminary. The outcome was never in doubt. Catherine’s team moved on to the final, and the audience immersed themselves in their music. The crowd surrounded Catherine, Bryan, and Ronin after they came down from the stage.

David looked thrillingly at the three. At first, people all thought that they were only fillers. No one expected that they had such prowess. The crowd started to praise them non- stop.

“Catherine, Bryan, you are just amazing! I heard your song at the rehearsal and could not sleep that night. Your song had been replaying over and over again in my head. Today, I finally could hear it again. It’s perfect. I love it.”

“I just filmed it on my phone. I can replay the whole performance tonight! I am filled to the brim with happiness just thinking about it.”

Catherine was expressionless. She was still calm and not affected by those praising words. On the other hand, it was the first time Bryan received such high comments from his good friends.

“Are you sure you are not exaggerating? Bryan looked at the crowd with doubt. The crowd nodded in unison and reached out to point at Catherine.” Especially Catherine. Her voice was angelic. I have never heard anyone sing like that.”

“Indeed. She’s great.”

An unexpected voice chimed in. People all raised their heads and saw it was all raised their heads and saw it was Grayson standing behind them.

Grayson had always been aloof and kept pretty much to himself. He had a natural gift for music and was proud, so he rarely talked to his schoolmates.

His schoolmates were used to his indifference. After all, the geniuses were usually lone wolves. No one had thought he would applaud Catherine, which proved that the crowd’s praises were not exaggerated.

Chapter 218 Liana’s Desire

On Grayson’s face, the thin bangs hid his bright eyes, staring fixedly at where Catherine stood. Catherine did not speak a word among the crowd but was still in the spotlight. Grayson’s usual calmness had a crack on it.

Catherine walked away from the crowd that surrounded her. She took several steps ahead and realized someone was following her.

Catherine stopped, whirled around, and narrowed her eyes. She looked indolently and casually at Grayson.” What do you want?”

Grayson did not expect her to stop, and he would subconsciously follow her out. Catherine was like sunshine. People would want to follow her steps without even realizing it.

“Catherine, you have an excellent voice and a good sense of pitch. I heard that you wrote the song yourself. Is that true?”

When Grayson heard Catherine sing, he found her voice mind-blowing. After hearing from people around that Catherine wrote the song on her own, Grayson was even more amazed by her musical talent.

Catherine was now sizing up Grayson. She did not even look at him before. Grayson had fair skin. It was like he had been hiding in the dark and never walked under the sun.

The skin on his face was thin and translucent, revealing the veins under it. He had finely carved features and was quite good-looking.

That was how Catherine thought of Grayson. But what did it have to do with her that Grayson had a good-looking face? Facing Grayson’s question, Catherine only replied with indifference, “Yeah. So what?”

Catherine’s coldness did not harm Grayson’s feelings at all. Grayson had already subconsciously thought of Catherine as the same kind as himself. They were both scornful of worldly things and social expectations because they never cared about them.

Grayson looked earnestly at Catherine and said, “I have received the admission letter from Ealsmen Conservatory. My professor is there. With your talent, it will not be hard for you to enter the Ealsmen Conservatory. Do you understand me?”

Ealsmen Conservatory was the best music school in the world. It was a dream school for countless people who loved music, but the enrolment was limited to the number of graduates last year, which was scarce.

Grayson got the admission letter so early. It meant that he had great prowess in music. He was a true genius. Ealsmen Conservatory was a school that Liana had been dreaming of and working hard for. She would do anything to exchange for an admission letter from it.

One could be seen as a musician after graduating from it.

“Ealsmen Conservatory,” Catherine whispered the name with a sneer of displeasure. If she recollected correctly, she had received an email from the professor of Ealsmen Conservatory three years ago. It was a special invitation for her to apply to Ealsmen.

However, she deleted the email and never thought of it again. Grayson noticed the slight of Ealsmen in Catherine’s tone and thought she did not understand how famous and influential Ealsmen Conservatory was. He had heard Catherine had been raised in the countryside and had not been well-educated.

“Catherine, I don’t think you understand this. Ealsmen is the university that everyone who loves music wants to go to. It’s the best…”

Before Grayson finished talking, Catherine waved her hand and signaled him to stop.

“Alright. Congratulations if you want to go there. As for me…” Catherine paused for a moment before her cold voice sounded again. “I am not interested.” Her words were simple but powerful. With that, she turned around and walked away.

Grayson stood in place with frustration. As he watched Catherine’s departure, a trace of confusion appeared in his beautiful eyes.

He did not understand why Catherine refused to accept his kindness. Immersed in his own world, Grayson did not notice the malicious eyes staring at him not far away.

Liana had just done her performance and went down from the stage when she saw Grayson standing face-to-face with Catherine. She did not know how Catherine and Grayson knew each other or why they would interact with each other.

Grayson had an inborn musical aptitude. He was an incredible talent. Liana was not surprised that Grayson could get the admission letter from Ealsmen Conservatory. But what surprised her was that Grayson wanted to recommend Catherine to Ealsmen Conservatory!

God knew how much time and energy she had put into getting a recommendation letter. Now, Grayson wanted to recommend Catherine!

Liana had tried all the means to beg Grayson for his recommendation, but Grayson never agreed. Grayson even took the first step and offered to help Catherine, which was an opportunity Liana had long desired.

What was more unacceptable to Liana was that Catherine refused to seize the opportunity. She did not want it. It was something Liana was dying for. Grayson handed it to Catherine readily, but Catherine treated it as worthless.

What did that mean?

Who did Catherine think she was? She was only a jinx returned from the countryside. How could she be more outstanding than Liana?

It was something Liana could never accept. It occurred to Liana that the conversation between the two male students in the church, so she rushed to find them immediately.

“Hey, could you please…”

The two guys were about to leave when they heard the voice sounding behind them. They turned around and saw Liana, so they nodded at her as a greeting.

Liana’s face was rather beautiful among ordinary people. She grew up in a wealthy family and was aristocratic. Besides, she knew how to dress up and wear makeup to add to her charm.

The eyes of the two students lit up. They were too shy to say much to Liana, so they only asked. “What can we do for you?”

Liana smiled decently and nodded at them. “Excuse me. I was sitting in the row behind you and accidentally overheard your conversation. Did you say that the song of Bryan’s team had a familiar melody and seemed to be written by some composer?”

The two students eyed Liana suspiciously, so Liana gave them a sweet smile to delude them. She said cautiously, “Don’t get me wrong. It’s not like what you have thought. I love that song and worship the one who has written it. You know that kind of feeling, right?”

The two students nodded repeatedly in agreement. They were fascinated by Liana. “Yeah, we know. We never heard the song of Bryan’s team in Sugar’s albums, but the style and the melody seemed like Sugar’s. It’s a great song.

Liana caught the point. “Sugar?”

“Yes, her! The most mysterious and legendary composer. Every song she wrote was classic, and she only wrote the songs for the moguls in the entertainment industry. She had only written a few songs, but they were all the best.”

Liana heard the student’s explanation, and a thrilled smile revealed on her face. She thanked the two students with pleasure and turned to leave.

Attracted by Liana’s pretty face, the two students did not think of why Liana would ask about that. Sugar only worked with the moguls, and Liana did not think Catherine had any way to reach Sugar.

Catherine must have plagiarized the song. Liana was sure of it. A plagiarist! Liana would let Catherine learn what price she would pay to plagiarize.

Chapter 219 The Big Shots Gather

Ronin received an email. It was an anonymous one that was sent to Sugar’s business email. The email said a high school student plagiarized Sugar’s song and lied that she wrote it, using it to chase fame.

Ronin was furious just reading the email title. He could not help but swear, “What the hell? Damn it. Let me see who the plagiarist is. I must teach her a lesson!”

When he clicked open the email, he first saw Catherine’s photo. He was perplexed and scanned the text. The email content talked about how Catherine had plagiarized Sugar’s song. Ronin rolled his eyes and closed the Mail app.

Ronin wondered which idiot dared to do such a stupid thing. It was so hateful to waste his time. What a hilarious thing that Catherine would plagiarize herself!

Ronin did not know why people nowadays were so weird. Why would they send such a boring email? He was so speechless about it. He had no time for this. He still had codes to modify.

Some lunatics kept attacking their base, and Ronin needed to guard the front line for Catherine. He would ignore such idiots who sent the email in case they felt good about doing those silly things.

It was soon came the celebration gala. The big shots attended and gathered in the school, let alone the students and teachers.

The principal was taken aback. Even though he had sent invitations to the top graduates, he never expected that so many of them had attended. Each one of the big shots was influential enough in Casier.

The black Bentley slowly came to a halt, followed by several colorful sports cars. The principal knew it must be someone powerful that came. He stopped what he was doing and came to greet the comer. His eyes widened in shock when he saw the comer getting out of the car.

“Oh boy. Am I dreaming? Why would this one come here?” thought the principal. He trotted forward while whispering to his secretary, who was following him, ” Inform the media. It will be a bombshell. Ask them to send their best journalists and cameramen here.”

The secretary glanced at the comer and was astounded as well. He dared not delay and made the calls to all media right away.

“Mr. Duncan, to what do I owe the honor to have you here?” The principal stood in front of Branden respectfully with his waist slightly bent. He looked so humble.

Branden just darted a glance at him without saying anything. The principal did not take it to heart. The principal might have been astonished if Branden had replied to his words.

The principal looked up and saw some young men standing behind Branden. He knew the one standing nearest to Branden was Triston and did not recognize the rest. Yet, he knew that they must be extraordinary.

“Mr. Lambert, what a pleasure to have you here with us too!”

Triston grinned at the principal. He remembered that the principal was nice to him when he was still a student, so he greeted the principal enthusiastically.

“Sir, it’s been a long time, right? You look younger than I expected! We heard that this year’s celebration gala would be grand, and we are available for it. What? Are we not welcome?”

The principal laughed joyfully as he looked at Triston. “How come! I’m so glad that you made time to attend the celebration gala. It’s a great honor for our school. The school is getting better and better thanks to the excellent students like you.”

After exchanging words with the principal, Triston looked up and saw no trace of Branden. He hurriedly said goodbye to the principal and went after Branden.

He took a few steps and saw Branden’s back. In front of Branden stood Catherine. Triston’s fellows were all there, while Triston was the only one missing.

The principal wished to talk some time longer with Triston. He had no guts to speak to Branden but could chat with Triston. It would make him look great if any journalist had taken photos of him and Triston and put them in the newspaper.

However, Triston left in a hurry without even finishing his words with the principal once he noticed that he had lost track of Branden. Following the gaze of Triston, the principal saw the big guns all gathering around Catherine. It looked like they were friends with her.

The principal was confused and murmured to himself, “Never have I heard that Catherine is so capable. Why would she attract so much attention?”

His secretary stood beside him and reminded him. “Sir, no matter how Catherine was like before, she is the daughter of the Swanns now. It’s not strange that she knew those gentlemen. Besides, Bryan is with her. Perhaps Mr. Duncan is there for his nephew.”

The secretary had just done talking when he saw the man who arrived. His mouth was agape in shock.

“Oh, my goodness. Sir, look who’s behind you! I can’t believe my eyes…’

The principal was somewhat scornful, thinking his secretary was making such a fuss. Branden was there, and who else would be more influential than Branden? When he jerked his head unwillingly and saw the man, he almost fainted out of excitement.

“My good lord. Why would this one be here?” the principal exclaimed in his heart. Ronin could not stand it and furrowed his brow as he saw those people who came. He said with displeasure, “Why are you all here?”

Not only him, but Bryan was also annoyed. Why did those people come here instead of staying at their companies and working?

Triston found it interesting to see the dissatisfied looks of Ronin and Bryan. He said, “We are here for your Boss, of course. She’s going to sing today. Am I right? How can we bear to miss this?”

Triston had heard Catherine’s attendance at the audition, but that time, Branden did not come to watch it, nor did Branden allow them to come. It was a pity for Triston. Now that they finally had the chance, how would they let it slip?

“That’s right, man,” said Aidan as he put his hand on Triston’s shoulder and looked at the crowd with a smile.

Ronin did not bother to care about those two idiots and turned to clean his drumsticks. Bryan also tuned up his guitar. Triston and Aidan looked at Ronin and Bryan and were irritated.

Aidan asked bluntly, “What do they mean?”

“Well.” Triston sneered and defended himself, “Nothing. They thought you were an idiot.”

He looked back and saw Branden sitting next to Catherine. Triston wanted to join them, but after a second thought, he gave up. He could not afford the consequence of offending Branden.

When Branden sat down, he covered his coat on Catherine’s lap. Today, Catherine was wearing a simple hoodie and shorts. She looked casual and sporty yet still striking.

Her long, straight legs under the shorts were the most eye-catching part.Many people noticed her legs, but no one dared to stare at them. They could only peek at them from time to time.

However, that was enough for people to be amazed. The sudden warmth made Catherine notice the coat on her legs.

Well-tailored by famous designers, the suit coat was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Now, it was placed on her lap casually.

Catherine tilted her head. She locked her bright eyes on Branden with questions.Branden was calm and did not feel uncomfortable under her searching gaze. He said softly, “The air conditioning here is too cool. I don’t want you to catch a cold.”

Catherine’s eyes were gleaming as she heard Branden. She sparkled.

“Branden is… so adorable,” thought Catherine.

Chapter 220 She’s Gloriously Radiant

Liana’s performance had been arranged after Catherine’s, but Liana wanted to take the lead to impress the audience before Catherine, so she switched the order with Jessica. Jessica naturally agreed.

She wished Liana could beat Catherine and avenge her.

“Liana, don’t worry. I already asked my fans to be prepared. They will all vote for you, and so will I. You will surely win the championship.”

Liana put on a bashful smile and looked somewhat embarrassed. “Jessica, thank you so much. You are so kind, but I…”

Jessica interrupted her words. “There’s no ‘but.’ I want you to be the winner, and that’s it.

“Now, you need to powder your nose and freshen up. You are about to perform. You need to look astonishing.” Liana smiled slightly and turned to walk toward the stage.

The moment she turned around, the smile on her face was gone. Her eyes were a little like Catherine’s, and in them flashed a hint of coldness. Liana never thought that she would be the one to benefit from the fight between Catherine and Jessica.

She had regarded Jessica as a tricky opponent, but now Jessica had become her help. How ironic that was. Today, Liana would let Catherine know what she was capable of.

The celebration gala began. Catherine’s show was at the later part, so she sat in the auditorium to have a rest. The performances began one after another, attracting the audience.

Catherine had no interest in the performances. She leaned against Branden’s shoulder and closed her eyes to rest. Branden was holding a tablet and working. He was there for Catherine and also had no interest in anyone else.

When it was Liana’s turn, Triston and the others in the front seats of Catherine and Branden were happy to see her walking on the stage. Triston even turned his head back in a thrill and shouted. “Catherine, here comes your sister.”

Catherine was about to fall asleep but opened her eyes because of Triston’s words. Branden noticed her move and cast a cold look ahead.

The mere look frightened Triston, making him want to kneel already. His heart skipped a beat and almost stopped. He shrank his neck and dared not speak again. Catherine looked at the stage. It was indeed Liana.

Liana was wearing haute couture from a luxury brand and delicate makeup. She was in high spirits. It seemed she had spent great effort for the celebration gala.

Liana started to play her song. Her piano prowess won the hearts of the audience. Catherine listened for some time and thought that Liana had improved herself.

Catherine could tell that Liana had worked hard on practice, but she cared too much about the fame, causing slight impatience in her melody. It was not a good thing to be too eager to show oneself.

Liana finished her song, and there was a burst of clapping. Ronin came to Catherine and reminded her in a low voice, “Boss, we should go and be prepared.”

Catherine nodded and handed the coat on her lap to Branden. Branden gazed at her and said hoarsely but tenderly, “You can do it.”

Catherine did not even bother to nod. She just revealed a faint smile before walking away with Ronin. Catherine went backstage, and Bryan had already been well-prepared and waiting for her.

Seeing her still in her hoodie and shorts, Bryan was surprised. “Boss, aren’t you going to change your clothes?” Catherine looked at him without much expression. She said quietly, “Is it necessary?”

Ronin chimed in, “That’s right. You look perfect dressing like that.” Especially her long legs, which added so much to her charm. Since Catherine did not care, Bryan did not persuade her again.

“Last check before we go on the stage.”

Ronin and Bryan heard Catherine’s order and began to check their instruments. Liana left the stage slowly to tumultuous applause.

She knew from the eyes under the stage that she would surely be the champion. She wanted to see how Catherine could compete with her.

“Liana, you are brilliant.”

Nash walked to Liana with a bouquet of flowers. Liana took the flowers pleasedly. For her, the best thing was to be the center of attention.

She left with Nash to celebrate her victory in advance. Anyway, the outcome was a foregone conclusion. It would be enough for her to come back at the award ceremony.

The emcee called Catherine’s name and announced it was time for her team to perform the show. Catherine looked both sides at Bryan and Ronin. They were both confident without any stage fright or nervousness.

That was the state Catherine expected them to be. She did not see this as a competition but merely a game she had in her spare time. She spat out the gum she had been chewing into the trashcan and took the microphone.

Catherine walked onto the stage in an imposing manner. When the three stood still on the stage, the applause and cheerful whistles sounded.

There was no doubt that they were popular among the students. Standing on the stage, Catherine hooded to cover her delicate appearance.

She put her finger before her lips and made a gesture. The audience fell into silence. They were all holding their breaths and waiting for her.

The spotlight found her and shone on her like a bright moon. Catherine was like a big star on the stage at the moment. Branden sat quietly in the seat of honor in the auditorium, and he already put his tablet aside.

Just like everyone else, all he could see was only Catherine. Catherine was definitely attractive on the stage. Branden’s deep eyes were sparkling, and a smile played on his lips.

Her little girl was gloriously radiant and striking. With a signal from Catherine, Ronin drummed the first note. Followed by the deafening and intense drum beats was Catherine’s dreamy voice.

As the song’s climax came, Catherine was so excited that she pulled down the hood that hid her face. The audience saw her gorgeous face on the large screen and almost forgot to breathe.

She was stunningly ravishing. Her voice was fantastic, and her appearance glamorous. She was born to be the center of focus. Grayson was also sitting in the auditorium, watching Catherine’s show.

He had been mad at Catherine and decided to give her up since she had turned him down that day. But at that moment, he doubted his decision.

He changed his mind. He would persuade Catherine to apply to the Ealsmen Conservatory. He believed she deserved it. No one was more clear than he was that it would be a shame if Catherine did not enter the music world.

If Liana’s piano piece surprised the audience, then Catherine’s song was incredible. It was so pleasant to hear. Her voice was full of power and remained lingering around. It was not shallow but haunting.

After a long time, the audience finally came back to their senses. There was a long, full meed of applause, which was the greatest affirmation of Catherine’s team.