Ch. 261..270

Chapter 261 Exclusive Information

“What do you want to eat?” The man leaned against the window and sat looking at Catherine. He had a cold face, and his dark black eyes were filled with doting.

Catherine had been eating barbecue almost daily lately and already felt slightly tired of it. She suddenly missed some simple home -cooked meals. “I want to eat those dishes you made the other day!”

“Okay!” The man responded softly, then ordered Paxton, “Go to the apartment!”

“Okay!” Paxton immediately responded, changed direction at the fork in the road, and rerouted to the apartment.

Paxton couldn’t see Catherine and Branden’s expressions through the fender, but Branden’s doting tone just now made him a bit panic. His hands were still shaking as he gripped the steering wheel.

So, Branden had now become a cooking tool?

Alas, the world might be about to change. Bryan followed them in his car and felt strange to see them suddenly change lanes.

“Are they going to change direction?”

Triston, who was driven to this car, saw through Branden’s thoughts at a glance. After all, they had been brothers for so many years, and he knew Branden more or less. He said slowly, “Alas, there’s no need to ask. They’re going home to romance and don’t want to take us with them!”

Ronin glanced at the street sign. The direction Branden’s car went was the direction back to the apartment. He said with some reluctance, “Maybe Boss is tired and needs to rest. She didn’t sleep much in class today!”

Rarely, Bryan didn’t refute him but echoed, “It makes sense!”

Triston suggested generously, “Since they don’t want to have dinner with us, let’s go by ourselves. Let’s have barbecues together and go on a spree. My treat!”

He finished speaking those words happily but only to find that no one was paying any attention to him. Yesenia put on a long face when she heard she could not have dinner with Catherine.

“Bryan, pull over to the side of the road!

Bryan complied and pulled over to a parking spot on the roadside. Yesenia couldn’t wait to get out of the car just as the car came to a stop.

“I’m going back by myself.”

After that, Ronin also got out of the car. Without Catherine, he wasn’t interested in having dinner with these people. Seeing that they were getting off, Triston was a bit anxious. “Hey, why are you all gone?”

As a result, no one cared about him, so he could only turn his face to Bryan. Unexpectedly, Bryan glanced at him and said coldly, “Your home and mine are not on the same road.”

This was clearly a rejection of him!

In the end, Triston was driven out of the car. Standing alone on the roadside, he cursed at Bryan’s car, “Why are all the Duncans so bad?”

Catherine followed Branden back to the apartment. Because Audrey was not there, she went straight into Branden’s apartment.

Branden pushed a snack cart over and placed it in front of her. “I’m going to make dinner. If you’re hungry, eat some nuts first.”

Watching a cart full of snacks with a wide variety and seemingly expensive prices, Catherine was somewhat surprised.

“I thought you didn’t eat snacks?” As far as she could remember, Branden never seemed to eat snacks.

He only ate candy to coax her, and she put the candy in his mouth forcibly. At that time, his expression was a bit unforgettable to her. The man had a warm smile, and the aura emanating from his body was indescribably gentle.

“Because I have you!”

Catherine froze momentarily, and a faint smile grew on her exquisitely cold face. She turned her head to look at Branden. With her beautiful eyes shining brightly, she sized him up with interest and said flirtatiously, “I don’t like snacks either. What should we do?”

Knowing that she was saying that on purpose, Branden cooperated and said, “Please take a bite for my sake!”

Catherine reached out to pinch a nut and put it in her mouth. After that, she rested her cheeks on one hand and looked at Branden with interest. The ends of her eyes were slightly upturned on her pretty face.

“Okay, I’ll take a bite for the sake of Mr. Duncan!”

Her tone was evil, wild, and provocative. Branden reached out and stroked her head. “Good girl!”

Catherine glanced at the laptop placed aside and asked, “Can I use it?”

“Feel free to use it. I’ll cook dinner. Food will be ready soon!” After saying that, Branden turned around and walked into the kitchen. On the other hand, Catherine used Branden’s laptop to deal with the work of the base.

She had upgraded the chip to another version during this time, and it was still in the testing phase, so she had to catch up on her work.

Time passed quickly, and Branden soon came out from inside the kitchen with the dishes. Catherine was still in front of the laptop with a deep look on her face.

Her serious look instantly made Branden a bit dumbfounded. A saying suddenly flashed through his mind, “People who work hard are the most beautiful!”

At that moment, Catherine was so beautiful, and it made him forget to breathe. His hot gaze made Catherine stop her work and look up. Seeing her raise her head, Branden raised the food in his hand to signal that it was time for dinner.

“Food is ready!”

“Okay!” Catherine responded and happily turned off the laptop, following the aroma of the food to the table.

It was a simple three dishes and one soup. There was veggie chili, which looked spicy, but Catherine loved it. When she went to the spicy food restaurant with Branden, she ordered and ate a lot of it. Maybe that was why this dish appeared on the table tonight!

After dinner, Catherine took the empty plates and was ready to put them in the sink, but Branden held her down.

“Leave it to me. You can continue to use the laptop. The guest room remains the same, so you can rest first if you’re tired!”

“Okay!”

Catherine answered and went into the guest room with the laptop in hand. Audrey was in the hospital, and it seemed she would still stay here tonight.

After arriving at the guest room, Catherine sent Ronin the chip information that had just been tested. Just as Ronin received it, the phone she put aside rang. Catherine picked it up casually and placed it beside her ear. Ronin’s excited voice came from the receiver.

“Boss, I thought you were rushing home to rest, but I didn’t expect you were rushing to work. The data from the first phase of chip testing is available now. It’s so quick. Boss, you’re simply God!”

“Cut the crap, put the stuff away, and arrange to go for testing!”

Catherine’s tone and attitude were cold, but Ronin had long gotten used to it and didn’t mind.

“Boss, don’t worry. Leave all this to me. But Boss, do you have an intended target yet? If the news of our successful new generation chip test is released, the outside world will definitely fight.”

Their chips were at the top level and in a leading position worldwide. The world’s top industry giants all had come to them with money to beg for chips.

If the news that the new generation of chips was about to be successfully developed was released, there might be another bloody storm.

Ronin even suspected that the reason why their base’s website was constantly being attacked before had something to do with this as well. Catherine swept a glance at the laptop placed in front of her.

She said slowly with a soft voice, ” Release the news to the Duncan Corporation!”

“The Duncan Corporation?” Ronin subconsciously raised his volume, and the shock between his words was hard to hide. “Boss, You’re giving them exclusive information!

Chapter 262 Free Benefits

Leaving aside the benefits the Duncan Corporation would get after signing the chip, the Duncan Corporation would get tens of billions of dollars in profits just by receiving the news first. If the Duncan Corporation operated properly, the profit could still double!

Ronin was a bit distressed, mainly because he didn’t want to give the news for free. “Boss, don’t we charge a token sum? Wouldn’t giving it away be a bit of a loss?”

He asked cautiously and was afraid to anger Catherine. Catherine glanced at the nearby snack cart and the fruit plate on the table with a faint smile in her cold eyes.

“It’s already been charged!”

“Charged?” Ronin was very surprised. “Mmmm!” Catherine answered, then said domineeringly, “Do as I say!”

Hearing this, Ronin knew that there was no room for negotiation and responded quickly, “Boss, don’t worry. I’ll get it done!”

When Catherine opened the door the next day, she smelled the aroma wafting from outside. The smell of freshly baked toast was fragrant and tempting.

As she stepped out of the room, she saw a busy figure in front of the dining room. Although the man’s back was to her, he knew she was up the moment she appeared. Without looking back, the man said, ” Breakfast is ready!”

Catherine stood frozen in place for a few seconds. Suddenly, she felt that she couldn’t adapt to the atmosphere in this room.

Sunlight revealed the huge floor-to- ceiling windows, shining throughout the whole house and making the room bright.

The word “warm” flashed through Catherine’s mind at that moment! The man felt a little strange because he felt there was no movement behind him after he said breakfast was ready. He put down the toast in his hand and turned his head.

He saw Catherine was still standing in place and freezing. She was with less of her usual evil and domineering demeanor but with more of a bit of stupidity, cuteness, and confusion. Branden couldn’t help but reach out to scratch her nose.

“Why don’t you move? Are you waiting for me to feed you?”

Returning to her senses, Catherine glanced at him with disgust and took a sharp bite of the toast beside his hand. Then she looked at him provocatively.

Branden didn’t get angry, but the smile on his face grew more prominent. Catherine’s behavior gave him a more authentic feeling, which was more in line with the nature she should have at her age.

“Is it yummy?”

Facing the man’s inquiry, Catherine nodded honestly. Then she was pulled and held down by the man on a chair. He forced her to be full.

She was forced to drink a glass of warm milk and eat two pieces of toast before being sent to school. Because of Branden’s timely delivery, Catherine arrived at school a few minutes earlier than usual.

Just as she entered the classroom, Liana stood and walked toward her. “Catherine, I need to talk to you. Come out with me for a minute!”

Catherine followed her out of the classroom, and the two stood at the end of the hallway. She stood idly by with her hands in her pockets, looking up at Liana.

“Go ahead!”

Liana looked at Catherine with a tangled face and a particularly strange look in her eyes. “Catherine, let me ask you. Is Audrey hurt?”

“So you knew it. Why are you asking?” Catherine looked at Liana with contempt and belittlement in her eyes. She knew very well that Liana wouldn’t question her like this if she didn’t know Audrey was injured.

What she hated the most was this kind of pretentious demeanor from Liana. Liana glared at Catherine with a very disgruntled look in her eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell us immediately? I learned the news of Audrey’s injury from George. Catherine, don’t you think this is too much?”

She wouldn’t have known about it if George hadn’t revealed it inadvertently. She didn’t even know that Catherine took Bryan and the rest of them to see Audrey, but instead, she, as Catherine’s sister, hadn’t been brought along.

Catherine had a look of disdain and tease in her eyes. “What? Blaming me for not telling you? Now, you come to show me sisterly love. Do you have a good relationship with Audrey?”

Liana was so dumbfounded by her retort that she didn’t even know how to fight back. It was true that she didn’t have a good relationship with Audrey. She didn’t like stupid Audrey.

Even making her pretend to have a good relationship with Audrey made her uncomfortable. She took a deep breath and temporarily suppressed the anger that filled her, staring coldly at Catherine.

“Anyway, she’s my sister. You should at least tell me. You didn’t tell me because you were worried that Audrey wouldn’t help you again after you told me, right?

“You approached Audrey because you knew she had a bad relationship with our family and wanted to use her to deal with our family. From beginning to end, you returned to get revenge on Mom and Dad for throwing you out in the countryside when you were a child, right?”

Catherine could see that Liana was absolutely deranged, deliberately messing around with her. “You’re right. I just came back for revenge. Are you satisfied?”

After saying that, Catherine turned her head to leave directly. She had no time to waste on this mentally troubled douchebag.

Looking at Catherine’s disappearing back, a wicked smile appeared on Liana’s face. She took out her cell phone and pressed the play button. The conversation she had with Catherine just now was all recorded by her.

She was now looking forward to how her father would react when he heard this recording and knew that Catherine was coming back for revenge. She silently thought, “Catherine, you can’t win me!”

In the suburban villa, Branden was there to inspect the latest projects. He rested in the villa at noon. Paxton appeared with the latest news. 11 Mr. Duncan, I have information that needs your confirmation.”

It was likely not just a small matter for Paxton to go and confirm with him personally. Branden paused the conference call immediately and turned his gaze to Paxton. “Go ahead!”

Paxton handed Branden the latest information he received. “Mr. Duncan, the Hacker Alliance took the initiative to release news to us, saying that the second-generation chip development has entered the testing stage and will soon be ready for market use!”

This news was indeed not an ordinary one. Branden immediately looked up at Paxton and asked, “Is it true?”

“Yes!” Paxton nodded firmly. He was particularly shocked when he heard the news and repeatedly confirmed it. “Mr. Duncan, the news is true. From what we have learned, the Hacker Alliance has only leaked this news to us so far, and it’s an exclusive disclosure!”

This was what puzzled Paxton the most. The Hacker Alliance was notorious for being mean. It was impossible to buy news from the Hacker Alliance.

The Hacker Alliance had a perfect system. It was a very mysterious and powerful organization, and the members inside were all at the genius level. It was not easy to get news from these geniuses.

“Mr. Duncan, if this news is true, the Hacker Alliance has given us tens of billions of dollars of profit. If we are allowed to be the exclusive supplier of the second-generation chips, it will be beneficial to the Duncan Corporation.”

This excited Paxton the most, but this news came so quirkily that he dared not to make a decision quickly and could only go to Branden for a discussion.

“Mr. Duncan, what are we going to do now?”

Chapter 263 Whether to Participate or Not

The news that the Hacker Alliance had exclusively released to the Duncan Corporation was indeed not ordinary news. Branden had wanted this chip for a long time and had been waiting for news to be released on the market.

If there were any rumors, no matter how much the cost, he would take the exclusive rights. Hacker Alliance, one of the largest chip bases in the world, actually took the initiative to release news to the Duncan Corporation, which was indeed unusual.

“Paxton, arrange for Carlo to come back.”

Paxton understood Branden’s intention. Branden wanted to put Carlo Duncan in charge of this matter. “Okay, I’ll contact Carlo immediately!”

If Carlo was in charge of this matter, Paxton could rest assured. Otherwise, he worried he might not have enough energy to handle it.

As Paxton was about to leave, he seemed to remember something and suddenly turned around to Branden again.

“Mr. Duncan, do you think it could be related to Miss Swann?” Although they were not sure what Catherine’s relationship with the Hacker Alliance was, since she knew Joseph, she must have a connection with it. Just as he finished speaking, before Branden could respond, Paxton denied himself.

“It should not be possible. After all, the matter about chips is important, and only the Hacker Alliance’s decision- makers can make this decision!”

Branden remained silent throughout the process, his gaze coldly examining the document Paxton had handed him. At the end of class, the homeroom teacher of Class 8 suddenly went to the class looking for Catherine.

“Catherine, come out for a minute!”

Ronin and Bryan looked at Catherine with concern, wondering what the homeroom teacher suddenly wanted from her.

Catherine, however, stood up gracefully and dragged her body lazily along with the homeroom teacher to the office.

After the homeroom teacher handed Catherine a chair, Catherine sat down immediately. She lazily leaned back in the chair with a very dominant posture.

It just so happened that the homeroom teacher of Class 7 also walked in and recognized Catherine immediately. Since the last celebration gala, no one would not recognize Catherine, the popular figure of Loyalty Academy.

Unlike others, the homeroom teacher of Class 7 did not like Catherine. She had long heard about Catherine’s deeds and knew Catherine slept daily during class and led a group of students in playful distractions.

Most importantly, since Catherine’s appearance, Class 8 had stolen all the limelight from Class 7. The homeroom teacher of Class 7 had a lot of grievances about this.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she entered the office, she saw Catherine sitting lazily on the chair without paying attention to her homeroom teacher.

The homeroom teacher of Class 7 immediately became angry. She looked at the homeroom teacher of Class 8 and said sarcastically, “Miss Joyce, you have such a good temper. You don’t get angry even if some students are so arrogant in front of you!”

Hearing this, Catherine had an expressionless face and didn’t care.

The face of the homeroom teacher of Class 8 sank. However, there were a lot of grudges between her and the homeroom teacher of Class 7, and she didn’t make any direct attacks considering their colleagues’ relationship.

Catherine and her homeroom teacher’s silence did not make the homeroom teacher of Class 7 stop being sarcastic but instead made her even more arrogant.

She sarcastically told Catherine, ” There are all kinds of students nowadays. Some students don’t even have the right sitting or standing posture and come to school to sleep all day long. This type of student is a typical black sheep. What’s the use of keeping such students?”

What she said was extremely unpleasant. Just as Catherine was about to retort her, her homeroom teacher suddenly stood up. She looked straight at the homeroom teacher of Class 7, her face very serious, and her eyes were filled with anger.

“Miss Hart, Catherine is my student. If there is anything she does not do well, I will advise her. As teachers, aren’t you going too far in making such accusations against the students in my class without knowing the situation?”

The homeroom teacher of Class 7 was furious at those words and was planning to hit back. However, she didn’t expect the homeroom teacher of Class 8 to continue.

“I advise you to take care of the students in your class and improve their grades when you have time so that you won’t be criticized again at the next homeroom teacher assembly.”

These words hit the point!

What the homeroom teacher of Class 7 hated the most was that the students in her class were not as excellent as those in Class 8. Every year, she received less year-end awards than the teachers of Class 8.

It could be said that the homeroom teacher of Class 8 had now mentioned the homeroom teacher of Class 7’s sore spot, and saying those words in front of Catherine made the homeroom teacher of Class 7 more embarrassed.

The homeroom teacher of Class 7 was so angry that she stamped her foot and rushed out of the office. As soon as she left, Catherine, who was watching the show, gave her homeroom teacher a thumbs up.

‘Nice one!”

Her homeroom teacher pretended to be angry and rolled her eyes at her. “Avoid her when you meet her in the future. I’m worried that she’ll cause you trouble without me around!”

Catherine thought to herself, “Cause me trouble?

“Does Miss Hart have this ability?” Catherine didn’t continue the topic. After all, she wasn’t afraid, even if Miss Hart really had the ability.

“Weren’t you looking for me for something?”

The homeroom teacher reached out and patted her forehead, looking cute. ” Yes, I have something to talk to you about. It’s all Miss Hart’s fault. She almost made me forget about it.”

After saying that, the homeroom teacher took out a document and handed it to Catherine. “This is a document issued by the school. As the first-place group of the celebration gala, you guys are qualified to participate in the National Literary League.”

Catherine knew about this, and Bryan had mentioned it to her before. She refused her homeroom teacher without even looking at the document. “I’m not interested. You can find someone else!”

It was the same answer she had given Bryan before. She was really not interested in it. The homeroom teacher knew what Catherine meant. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have called her to the office alone to discuss.

Although unsure of what Catherine thought, she knew that the core of their group was Catherine, and as long as she could persuade Catherine, everything would be solved.

“Catherine, this isn’t just an honor for you alone, but for our Class 8. As you can see, Class 8 is in the ascendancy within the school right now, and to maintain the passion of the whole class, I think you should participate.

“What would other classes think of our Class 8 if our first-place group didn’t even participate?”

Seeing that Catherine didn’t say anything, the homeroom teacher didn’t force the issue. “This is a personal request from me. I want you to go back and think about it. You can give me the answer tomorrow.”

Catherine’s face remained the same as she stood up with her hands in her pockets and walked out of the office. She went back into the classroom and sat down.

As soon as she sat down, Ronin and Bryan approached her. “Boss, why did the homeroom teacher ask the office?” you to go to Catherine didn’t hide it and said lightly, “Something about the National Literary and Art League!”

“So that’s it!” Ronin nodded thoughtfully. “That’s not a big problem. We’ll just not participate.”

He knew Catherine didn’t like these, and she couldn’t participate. There was a slight entanglement between Catherine’s eyebrows. No one could force her, and she wouldn’t do things she didn’t want to do.

But something seemed to be different this time!

Chapter 264 Change Her Mind

It had been a while since Catherine had spoken. In Ronin’s mind, this pretty much confirmed Catherine’s refusal to participate in the upcoming national art competition. But then, to everyone’s surprise, Catherine suddenly spoke up.

“Does anyone know how long this competition will last?” she inquired. Both Ronin and Bryan were taken aback, especially Ronin.

However, Bryan knew more about the competition, so Ronin didn’t reply, and Bryan responded to Catherine.

“Boss, the competition consists of preliminaries, semi-finals, and the grand finals. It’ll take about a month. They’ve streamlined the competition this year, and there’s a rule that the top three in the preliminaries can bypass the semi-finals and go straight to the grand finals.”

The competition wasn’t an everyday affair. To accommodate student participants, it was scheduled on weekends to accommodate student participants, except for the special grand finals.

Bryan handed the competition schedule to Catherine. Coincidentally, the reality show that Audrey was part of had to make a substitution due to her injury, which gave Catherine time to participate on the weekends.

After calculating the timing, in front of Ronin and Bryan, Catherine made her decision. “Arrange everything. We’re participating in the competition.”

Bryan and Ronin exchanged glances in surprise. They wondered why Catherine had suddenly changed her mind. Catherine leaned back in her chair. With her arms crossed, she glanced at the two of them. “Any problems?”

They both shook their heads in unison. “No problem, Boss. We’ll follow your lead.”

Bryan had never been interested in these things but hadn’t had much fun at the celebration gala. If it meant cooperating with Catherine and the others again, he was more than willing.

As for Ronin, he always followed Catherine’s orders without question. If Catherine wanted to participate, he would participate. It was as simple as that.

In Ronin’s view, Obedience to Catherine was above all else. By the afternoon, news of Catherine and their group’s participation in the competition had spread throughout Class 8.

David and the others were so excited that they banged on their desks and cheered. “Catherine, Bryan, you can count on us. When the time comes, we’ll cheer you on with all our might!” David exclaimed.

George, who was standing by, looked at them and chuckled. He said, “Our class is truly honored this time. There are only three slots for the whole school, and we have two!” Ronin turned his head and glanced at George. “Two?”

“Yeah. One of them is Liana. The sisters from the Swanns are exceptional, and each one is better than the other,” George explained. As George was speaking, Liana happened to pass by.

The somewhat clueless George stopped Liana and stared at her warmly. “Liana, Catherine agreed to participate in the competition, so our chances of winning just got better, don’t you think?”

When Catherine heard Liana’s name, she glanced up and saw Liana standing there with a forced smile next to George. Liana appeared calm but was actually on the brink of exploding with anger. It amused Catherine.

Liana had endured a lot over the years to maintain the image of a high-born young lady. Liana’s patience was truly remarkable.

Before passing by this spot, Liana had already heard the news. She remembered that Catherine had initially refused to participate, and now Catherine had changed her mind. She thought inwardly, “Does this jinx want to hog the limelight?

“She is born to oppose me. She is such an infuriating jinx. “As for the damn George, why does he embarrass me like this?”

Liana was seething inside but had to maintain a gentle and composed demeanor. She looked at Catherine and casually asked, “Catherine, I heard you declined to join the national competition last time. You claimed you weren’t interested. Why the sudden change? Is it because you discovered this competition will be broadcast globally, and you want more people to know you?”

She was trying to convey that Catherine was flip-flopping for fame.

“No.” As soon as George heard Liana’s words, he quickly provided an explanation for Catherine. He said, ” Liana, you got it wrong this time. Catherine agreed to participate because our homeroom teacher enthusiastically invited her. When I was in the office earlier, our homeroom teacher said she had finally convinced Catherine. She’s delighted that Catherine is representing our class in the competition.”

Earlier in the morning, their homeroom teacher had summoned Catherine out of the classroom.

Everyone had seen it happen. At that moment, they had been speculating about what Catherine had done to make their usually mild-mannered homeroom teacher suddenly call her into the office. Now, they realized the situation.

With George’s explanation, everyone understood what had happened. David led the applause and said, ” Catherine, you really considered our class’s honor.

“Come on, let’s all applaud Catherine. She’s such a modest person. She is willing to lead Bryan into battle for our school’s honor. We shouldn’t spare our applause.”

At that moment, applause thundered throughout the classroom. Catherine still lounged lazily in her seat. She looked uninterested. It seemed that all these changes didn’t concern her at all.

As Liana watched Catherine, who was surrounded by adoring classmates and was like a queen, a venomous hatred surged within her.

The applause and the praises directed at Catherine were like sharp knives plunging into Liana’s heart with each word. Everything used to belong to Liana, whether in the Swanns or Class 8. She used to be the most dazzling.

In Liana’s view, all the applause and honor were meant for her. She was the family’s pride, even in the Swanns, where boys were traditionally favored. She was more precious than her two other sisters.

But since Catherine’s arrival, everything had changed, and Liana couldn’t accept it. Liana thought Catherine had taken away everything that had once belonged to her. She swore to herself that she would get rid of Catherine.

Liana looked up toward Catherine She didn’t expect that Catherine was also sizing her up. Their eyes met, and it seemed that Catherine could see through Liana’s soul. Catherine hadn’t done anything, but it was as if Catherine had struck Liana’s heart, which made Liana instinctively lower her head.

Liana’s heart raced, and she felt inexplicably flustered. This feeling made her highly uncomfortable. Finally, she hastily left the scene. Catherine had been keeping an eye on Liana’s reactions. A cold smile played on her beautiful face when she saw Liana flee.

She understood Liana’s intentions all too well. She had repeatedly emphasized that she could tolerate some of Liana’s foolish actions.

After all, every time Liana did something foolish, Liana was the one who suffered in the end. But if Liana sought her own demise, she shouldn’t blame Catherine for being ruthless.

Chapter 265 Her Revenge

Korbin was at Mercy Hospital. At that moment, a group of important individuals, including the hospital’s director, Rhys, had gathered outside the operating room.

Korbin looked at the director with an anxious expression on his face. “Mr. Parry, how is my son’s condition? Is it serious?”

Rhys gazed at Korbin seriously and replied, “Mr. Swann, rest assured. Our top-notch surgeon is performing the surgery on Mr. Johnathan. Mr. Johnathan’s condition is not too severe and won’t affect the later stages.”

Korbin nodded and gratefully shook Rhys’ hand. “Thank you, Mr. Parry. I appreciate your efforts in handling this matter.”

Korbin signaled to his secretary on the side. The secretary immediately took out an envelope from his pocket.

It was a familiar routine. There was no need to guess. Rhys knew exactly what Korbin meant. He proactively declined the envelope offered by the secretary and looked polite as ever at Korbin.

“Mr. Swann, with your close relationship with Mr. Duncan, these are all things we should be doing. Please don’t do this.”

Seeing Rhys’ firm attitude, Korbin realized that Rhys was serious. Then Korbin signaled for the secretary to put the envelope away.

Rhys left with a cheerful demeanor. As soon as Rhys was out of sight, his assistant quietly inquired, “Mr. Parry, why are you being so courteous to the Swanns? The Swanns don’t interact much with our hospital, do they?”

Mercy Hospital, the finest private hospital in Casier, usually received affluent and influential patients. The fact that the Swanns could have Rhys personally involved was because of the Swanns’ prominent status in Casier.

Rhys met countless dignitaries. However, the assistant sensed that Rhys was exceptionally polite toward the Swanns. Rhys smiled and stared at his assistant with a meaningful look.

“The Swanns have a strong connection with the Duncans. If the Swanns were to form an alliance with the Duncans, we might have to consider the Swanns’ preferences in the future.”

The last time Rhys returned, he had explicitly inquired about Catherine’s background. He learned about the Swanns’ relationship with the Duncans.

Korbin’s son was injured this time, which was the Swanns’ matter. Given Branden’s attitude previously and his visit to the hospital, Rhys couldn’t afford to neglect the Swanns.

He had to be careful and attentive to them. When Liana arrived at the door of the operating room, Johnathan’s surgery had not yet concluded. Only Korbin and Rachael were at the entrance of the operating room.

Rachael had tears in her eyes, and Liana hurried over to comfort her. She said, “Mommy, don’t worry. Johnathan will be fine.”

Rachael, consumed by thoughts of her beloved son, couldn’t find any words to say and just shook her head silently.

However, Liana was unusually concerned and asked, “Mommy, how did Johnathan suddenly have an accident? Although he’s young, he’s a good driver and often talks about participating in races.”

As the Swanns were well-off, and Johnathan, as the only son of the Swanns, had been pampered from a young age.

He had a passion for cars. Rachael had arranged a car for him at a very young age. So, Johnathan’s driving skills were indeed decent. His sudden car accident had surprised the Swanns.

Seeing that her parents remained silent, Liana suddenly blurted out her thoughts. She asked, “Could someone be intentionally trying to harm Johnathan?”

This single sentence drew the attention of the couple from the Swanns. Korbin looked at Liana with a serious expression while Rachael reached out and grabbed Liana’s arm.

“What do you mean by that? Do you know if your brother has offended someone outside? Or something else? You’d better explain yourself.”

Being pulled by Rachael, Liana put on a fragile demeanor and looked at her innocently. “Mommy, Johnathan never tells me anything about his affairs. I don’t know if he has offended anyone.”

“Then why did you suddenly say that?” Rachael pressed for more information. Liana was hesitant, which made Rachael suspect that she knew something,

“Liana, it’s a critical moment. Your brother’s life is at stake. Why aren’t you telling the truth?”

Korbin also noticed this and said to Liana, “Liana, if you know something, just say it. Is there anything you can’t say in front of your parents?”

Liana nodded with a look of helplessness and cautiously said, “I’ve always been worried that Catherine is seeking revenge on us.”

“Catherine?” Korbin looked at Liana in shock. “Dad, Catherine came back to get revenge on us. She told me herself.” Liana took out her phone and played the recorded conversation.

After Rachael heard that, her face darkened. Her previously sharp eyes turned cold, and she spoke with determination, “It must be that girl. She’s capable of doing anything to get her hands on the Swann Corporation’s wealth.

“This jinx! She’s nothing but a troublemaker. Honey, Johnny’s accident must be her doing.”

Rachael stared at Korbin and urged him to come up with a plan. Korbin nodded thoughtfully. Initially, he didn’t want to take extreme measures considering the family ties.

However, Catherine refused to listen and was indeed seeking revenge. In Korbin’s view, Catherine tried to harm the Swanns’ only son.

Korbin thought inwardly, “Does she believe that she could secure a larger share of the Swann Corporation’s wealth by doing this?

“That is nothing but wishful thinking.” Then Korbin said, “Don’t worry. Leave this matter to me. I will get to the bottom of it.”

After saying that, Korbin turned to his secretary and instructed, “Go and thoroughly investigate to see if there were any issues with Johnny’s car.”

“Yes, Mr. Swann.”

Liana hid behind Rachael and watched the retreating figure of Korbin’s secretary. A smug and sinister smile played on her face. She bore a slight resemblance to Catherine. After receiving the information, Ronin immediately informed Catherine.

“Boss, Johnathan had a car accident.”

Catherine was in the middle of playing a game and didn’t even lift her head as she asked, “Is he dead?”

Ronin shook his head and gave a concise reply. He said, “No. He just broke his leg. He’s currently undergoing surgery at Mercy Hospital.”

“Then why are you telling me?” Catherine’s tone was cold and sinister. She was extremely indifferent. Catherine thought inwardly, “He just broke his leg. He didn’t die. Why bother me with it?”

As Ronin assessed Catherine’s attitude, he couldn’t help but envy Audrey. Compared to Johnathan, Audrey was definitely the favored one.

When news of Audrey’s injury came, Catherine rushed to the hospital without hesitation. She arranged the best doctors and even brought Branden with her.

Since Catherine didn’t care about Johnathan, Ronin saw no need to continue the conversation. Since Johnathan was insignificant, there was no need to bother Catherine.

Ronin approached with a cheerful smile and pleaded with Catherine. “Boss, how about playing games with me for a while? It’s been so long since we played together.”

Chapter 266 The Brake Pads

When the secretary delivered the vehicle appraisal report to Korbin, he couldn’t remain calm any longer.

Korbin had some inkling of Liana’s thoughts, so despite his doubts, he immediately instructed the secretary to inspect the car that Johnathan had been in when the incident occurred.

“Mr. Swann, the brake pads on Mr. Johnathan’s car have been tampered with,” the secretary said. Upon hearing this, Rachael, who was standing nearby, couldn’t sit still any longer.

She stood up. Her eyes were red and filled with hatred. She shouted, “That jinx did this? Damn it. How dare she?

“I’m going to kill her. I must go and kill her!”

However, Liana, who was standing beside them, remained somewhat composed at that point. She reached out to hold her mother.

“Mom, although we suspect that Johnathan’s incident wasn’t an accident, we don’t have evidence that Catherine did it. Shouldn’t we investigate further?” she suggested. Rachael was furious, and her face was contorted with anger.

“Who else could it be but her? She’s an absolute disaster, a jinx. She’s back for revenge. She wants Johnny dead and the inheritance all to herself.”

Not satisfied with venting her anger, Rachael directed her fury at Korbin. “Are you just going to stand there while our child is in danger? He’s your only son, your sole heir!”

Korbin knew how much Rachael cared about their son, so out of consideration for their son, he chose not to argue with her. He looked at Rachael seriously and said, “Mind your image.”

Rachael was infuriated. At a time like this, her husband was reminding her to maintain her public image. Rachael realized Korbin couldn’t be relied upon, but she still had her family to turn to.

“Korbin, you might be afraid of that jinx, but I’m not. I will make her pay and do what I say.”

As he watched Rachael storm out, Korbin calmly glanced at the secretary standing nearby. “Have someone keep an eye on her, but don’t let things get out of hand.”

This was a crucial time, especially after the recent incident with Leonel. Their cooperation with David had finally taken shape.

If any scandal emerged now, it would allow the other side to seize their weaknesses through Catherine, and the consequences would be too significant. Korbin wouldn’t let his wife’s actions jeopardize the bigger picture.

He was determined to eliminate Catherine. Korbin thought what his wife said was right. Johnathan was their only heir, and Korbin wouldn’t let Catherine succeed.

After school, Catherine went straight to the hospital. Audrey was recovering fairly well, and she greeted Catherine with a smile.

“Kathy, you came right after school, didn’t you? Next time, don’t rush like this. I have Kiri here. If you want to visit me, you should come after dinner.”

Audrey had also been a student and understood how tiring school could be at Catherine’s age. Audrey’s happiest moment after school had always been when she could eat something. Catherine shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m not hungry.”

After every class, Ronin would give her various snacks. She really wasn’t hungry at that hour.

Kiri managed things efficiently. She assisted Audrey with hospital matters, organized Audrey’s work, and helped Kim with tasks. Watching this, Catherine couldn’t help but nod in approval. She raised an eyebrow and looked at Audrey. “Not bad.”

Audrey noticed Catherine’s gaze and understood her meaning. Then she replied, “She’s more than ‘not bad’. She’s absolutely amazing!

“Kathy, I appreciate you finding me such a great assistant. And I have some exciting news to share with you.”

Seeing Audrey’s excitement, Catherine leaned to the side, propped her chin up with one hand, and waited for her to speak.

Audrey said excitedly, “Let me tell you. The company has agreed to cover half of Kiri’s salary. Isn’t the company just wonderful?”

The fact that the company would cover half of the assistant’s salary made Audrey so happy. It left Catherine unsure whether to praise her for being content or call her naive.

Nevertheless, Catherine couldn’t help but think that the management company was being quite stingy. If it weren’t for Kim, Audrey might have been taken advantage of.

“When you have time, let Kim send your contract to Ronin.”

Audrey didn’t know why Catherine suddenly wanted her contract, but she obediently nodded. Kiri was on the side and continued with her tasks while discreetly keeping an eye on the sisters’ conversation.

She thought inwardly, “The older sister doesn’t seem much like an older sister. And the younger sister appears more like the responsible one. They are indeed an interesting pair of siblings.”

“You two seem to be having a good time here, chatting and laughing away. An abrupt voice interrupted their conversation. Audrey and Catherine turned around simultaneously to see Liana standing at the door. She wore a stern expression and glared at them with cold eyes.

Knowing who had arrived, Catherine lost interest and withdrew her gaze. She sat indifferently to the side. Audrey, who was slightly more hospitable, greeted Liana with warmth.

“Liana, what brings you here? Come on in.”

Liana entered with determined steps. She emanated a cold aura, and her expression was dark, as if everyone owed her something.

Sensing the tension, Kiri exchanged a glance with Audrey and quietly left the room. After entering, Liana confronted Audrey and Catherine with anger in her eyes.

“Do you two have any conscience left? You live off the Swanns and benefit from the Swanns. But when Johnathan had an accident, you didn’t even bother to visit him. Do you think that’s justifiable?”

Audrey was shocked to hear this. She widened her eyes and looked at Liana in disbelief. “What are you saying? Johnathan had an accident? What happened to Johnathan? Is it serious?”

Liana sneered and gave Audrey a sideways glance. She said coldly, “Now you’re feigning concern?”

Audrey grew anxious and raised her voice. “Liana, tell me. What happened to Johnathan?”

Liana replied with an impatient tone, Car accident. He’s undergoing surgery in the operating room downstairs.”

After Audrey heard about Johnathan’s car accident and his current critical condition, her face turned ashen. Despite Johnathan’s occasional rebelliousness and rude behavior, he was still Audrey’s brother, and Audrey couldn’t remain indifferent.

While Audrey’s reaction seemed normal, Liana observed that Catherine hadn’t even blinked her eyes and showed no reaction whatsoever.

Liana asked, “Catherine, what do you mean by this? Johnathan has had an accident, and you’re not concerned at all. Do you want him to die in that accident?”

At that moment, Liana discreetly activated her phone’s recording device. Catherine had initially planned to ignore Liana, but since Liana insisted on calling her name, Catherine had no choice.

It was just a leg fracture, but Liana made it sound like it was a matter of life and death. Catherine wondered what her intentions were. Catherine raised her head and looked at Liana with her cold eyes.

Then Catherine said, “Audrey has been hospitalized for so many days, and you haven’t visited her. Now that Johnathan has an accident, you’re here questioning why we didn’t see him.

“Liana, what do you mean by this?

“Are you suggesting that Johnathan’s life is more important than Audrey’s?”

Chapter 267 He Won’t Die

Under Catherine’s relentless barrage of questions, Liana was left speechless. Her eyes widened, and despite her anger, she had no way to counter.

Catherine raised another crucial question. She looked at Liana with cold eyes as she interrogated, “We’re not trailing behind Johnathan. How could we possibly know what happened to him? If Johnathan had an accident, shouldn’t you have informed us immediately?

“You didn’t even call us. You just storm into the hospital room to interrogate us. “What are you trying to achieve, Liana? Catherine’s words left Liana with no opportunity to respond.

She didn’t expect her ulterior motives to be so transparent to Catherine, and she certainly didn’t anticipate Catherine publicly confronting her like this. It left her speechless.

As Audrey watched the two of them face off, she felt a headache coming on. She didn’t think Liana was intentionally trying to achieve something. She thought Liana was just overly concerned about Johnathan.

“Alright. Stop arguing.”

After Audrey calmed Catherine down, she shifted her focus to Liana. “Liana, how is Johnathan now? Have our parents arrived? What’s the situation?”

Before Liana could answer, Audrey continued, “Never mind. Asking so many questions won’t help. Let’s see him together. It’s a big deal, and we can’t just stand here.”

After Liana heard that Audrey wanted to visit Johnathan, Liana’s expression changed slightly. However, she quickly regained her composure. She looked at Audrey with disdain, and her voice was laced with sarcasm.

“You weren’t in a hurry when it happened, and now you’re pretending to care? We don’t need you to visit.”

With those words, Liana turned and walked out of the hospital room. Her face darkened. Audrey became increasingly uneasy as she thought about the situation. She slowly got up from the bed and intended to follow Liana, but Catherine stopped her with a firm hand.

Catherine stared calmly at Audrey with her cold eyes and asked, “Are you giving up on your hand?”

Audrey had been highly cautious during this time to ensure proper wound healing and prevent hypertrophic scarring. She avoided any unnecessary movements that might disturb her wound.

She understood Catherine’s concern. But given the current situation with Johnathan’s accident, Audrey, as the elder sister, felt it was necessary to visit him.

Audrey looked at Catherine worriedly and tried to persuade her earnestly. She said, “Kathy, Johnathan’s life is hanging in the balance right now. We’re both his sisters. We should go see him together.”

Catherine glanced at Audrey with mockery.

“He won’t die.”

Audrey sensed a calmness in Catherine’s tone and found it strange.

“Kathy, do you know something?”

Catherine hadn’t initially planned to reveal anything, as she didn’t see the necessity. However, Audrey’s attitude made her reconsider.

“I heard that Johnathan’s car accident wasn’t severe. He just had a leg fracture and was operated on by one of the top surgeons at Mercy Hospital. The surgery was very successful. He’s young, so he should recover in two or three months.”

Although Audrey hadn’t personally verified the information, she trusted Catherine’s words. Audrey felt relieved that Johnathan wasn’t in grave danger and had only suffered a leg fracture.

She pursed her lips and complained in frustration, “Why did Liana make it sound so serious? She got me all panicked.”

Catherine thought inwardly, “If Liana didn’t make it sound serious, could she have fooled you?”

However, Catherine kept this to herself, as there was no need to share such thoughts with Audrey.

Chapter 268 Korbin’s Intent

Audrey was still worried and wanted to see Johnathan for herself. Catherine, seeing Audrey’s determination, agreed to go on her behalf. It wasn’t much trouble as the rooms were just upstairs and downstairs.

“Kathy, be careful when you go. With Johnathan’s accident and Mom’s impatience, her mood might not be great right now. Don’t mind that.”

Audrey expressed her concern. Audrey was well aware of Rachael’s attitude toward Catherine. She worried that Catherine might be treated coldly when she visited. Audrey felt uneasy, so she offered such advice.

Catherine raised an eyebrow and glanced at Audrey. Then, she casually nodded and left the room. Then Catherine went to the eighth floor of the hospital.

Catherine had received information that Johnathan’s surgery had been successfully completed, and he was now in a ward on the eighth floor.

Following the information provided by Ronin, Catherine arrived at the door of the ward. Her sudden appearance drew the attention of the people inside the room.

There were quite a few people inside the room, including the couple from the Swanns and Liana and Korbin’s secretary. When they saw Catherine suddenly appear, they were all somewhat surprised.

The first to react was Rachael, She stood from her chair, glared at Catherine, and cursed, “You dare to show up here. You are a jinx. You’ve caused so much harm.”

Hearing Rachael’s accusations, Catherine remained composed. She showed no emotion and completely ignored Rachael.

Catherine turned to look at the hospital. bed. She found that Johnathan’s complexion seemed fine. It indicated that there weren’t any significant issues. After Rachael noticed Catherine’s silence, her emotions were getting increasingly agitated.

Rachael could endure anything, but she couldn’t stand anyone harming Johnathan. In Rachael’s view, Johnathan was her guarantee of status within the Swanns.

She believed that her position as the mistress of the Swanns was secured because of Johnathan’s existence. Anyone who dared to harm Johnathan was essentially threatening Rachael’s life.

Rachael stood up and lunged forward. She was furious and wanted to tear Catherine to shreds. Liana sat on the side. Her eyes were red, and she appeared helpless. But she had no intention of intervening.

At this moment, Liana felt an immense sense of satisfaction. What she wanted was for Catherine to make a fool of herself. She wanted to witness Catherine’s humiliation, as only then would she find solace.

When Rachael lunged forward, Catherine subtly shifted her body and effortlessly evaded Rachael’s attack. Although Catherine had evaded. Rachael wasn’t as fortunate.

Due to her momentum, Rachael couldn’t stop herself and crashed forward. She eventually fell to the ground in a highly disheveled state.

Catherine stood to the side. With hands in her pockets, she looked down at Rachael on the ground. Then she spoke slowly in a cold voice. “I wonder what your high society friends would think if they saw you like this.”

Initially, Rachael had thought about causing a scene. But Catherine’s sharp words had pierced her heart, and Rachael quickly got up from the ground.

Rachael had almost ruined her carefully maintained image as a high- society lady. And she thought it was Catherine who had nearly shattered it. After Rachael stood up, her face turned livid, and she stared at Catherine with her sharp eyes.

“You are a jinx. Why did you come back? Why are you harming Johnny like this? What have we ever done to you? Why such cruelty?”

Catherine looked at Rachael with confusion. She was puzzled by Rachael’s words.

“What are you talking about?”

Rachael was seething with anger, and her face was contorted. “Don’t pretend you don’t know. You’re a jinx. Johnny wouldn’t be in this situation if it weren’t for you.”

After Catherine heard that, her beautiful eyes grew cold. Catherine had promised Audrey that she would visit, and now she had fulfilled that promise.

Since they didn’t welcome her and kept calling her a jinx, believing her presence had brought harm to Johnathan, Catherine felt there was no need for her to stay there any longer.

Without a word, Catherine turned and left. However, Rachael couldn’t let it go and followed Catherine to the door.

Then Rachael continued her accusations. All eyes were on Catherine, and no one noticed Liana’s relieved sigh as Catherine departed.

As Liana watched Catherine’s departure, her expression grew even darker. Liana wasn’t afraid, even if Catherine tried to deny her role in Johnny’s accident.

Liana knew that the people present wouldn’t believe Catherine’s words. They would only see Catherine as trying to absolve herself of blame. After venting her anger at Catherine, Rachael turned back to see Korbin sitting on the side.

Enough time had passed for her to calm down. She knew that Korbin didn’t appreciate women causing a scene. Rachael had already caused a scene once before. If she did it again this time, it might displease Korbin.

“Korbin, you saw it too. Catherine has such an attitude. Even after what happened to Johnny, she had the audacity to come here and inquire about Johnny’s condition. It just shows how bold she is.”

Korbin’s face darkened, and his voice grew cold. “Don’t worry. I will handle this.”

Rachael had been married to Korbin for many years. While she didn’t fully understand Korbin, she knew him well enough. From his expression, Rachael could see a killing intent. She knew that this time, her husband wouldn’t spare Catherine.

He might make sure Catherine disappeared for good. Rachael felt no sympathy for Catherine. She hoped Catherine would vanish from the world and stop bothering her. Catherine returned to Audrey’s ward. As Audrey saw Catherine, she stood up with concern.

“How is it? Is Johnathan okay?” Audrey asked.

“He’s fine. The surgery was successful, “Catherine replied calmly.

Hearing this, Audrey felt a sense of relief. However, Audrey suddenly remembered something else and asked, “Are our parents with Johnathan?”

Hearing that, Catherine nodded. Then she noticed Audrey’s eyes dimming suddenly. Catherine could still discern it despite Audrey’s attempt to hide her emotions.

Audrey had been in the hospital for three days, and apart from Catherine, no one else from the Swanns had visited her.

Audrey didn’t know Catherine had noticed her emotions. She didn’t want Catherine to worry. Then Audrey said to Catherine, “You should go back earlier. I don’t need anyone here. You can get some rest at home.”

Catherine didn’t object, as it was true that Audrey could manage on her own.

“Alright. I’ll leave then.”

Kiri watched as Catherine walked away. Then she said to Audrey in a low voice, Audrey, it seems like your little sister might be a bit reserved. Is she hard to get along with?”

Kiri felt that she had phrased it quite delicately. She considered that Catherine’s relationship with Audrey seemed to be only slightly better than with strangers. After understanding what Kiri was trying to convey, Audrey smiled lightly.

“My sister has that kind of personality. Don’t be fooled by her cold demeanor. She’s a very good person. She is very generous and doesn’t hold grudges. She’s been very kind to me.”

Audrey was grateful for her sister. She knew that her situation would be much worse without Catherine’s support.

Chapter 269 Grayson’s Hesitance

When Catherine emerged from the hospital, she immediately spotted the familiar car parked at the entrance. As if it had become a routine, Catherine didn’t show a hint of surprise and headed straight for the vehicle.

As she approached, Branden got out of the car in advance and kindly opened the door for her. His arm leaned against the wall, which ensured Catherine didn’t bump her head.

Catherine skillfully bent down and settled into the car. Both of them were fully engrossed in each other. Neither of them noticed that Grayson was watching them intently without moving.

Grayson’s assistant, Finlay Patel, was standing nearby. He had been with Grayson for many years and was his closest confidant.

“Peerless Grayson, why didn’t you go and greet Catherine?”

As Grayson’s personal assistant, Finlay knew better than anyone how busy Grayson was. Grayson could spare time for the hospital because he sacrificed his precious rest.

Finlay also understood Grayson’s purpose in going there. But when Catherine had passed by them just now, Grayson had hesitated to greet her, which frustrated Finlay immensely.

Faced with Finlay’s question, Grayson hesitated and didn’t know how to respond. He also questioned why he hadn’t mustered the courage to say hello earlier. He thought inwardly, “Would Boss have stayed if I had greeted her?”

Grayson was known for his fearlessness and never hesitating in any endeavor. He couldn’t understand why he was so cautious and hesitant around Catherine and refrained from doing anything. Maybe it was because Catherine was just too powerful.

Seeing Grayson’s reaction, Finlay couldn’t help but want to offer some advice. In Finlay’s view, Grayson looked like a naive young man who had fallen helplessly in love for the first time. Finlay thought inwardly, “Peerless Grayson is undeniably excellent and outstanding.

“However, Peerless Grayson has spent years solely focused on his career and his fans. He lacks any experience in matters of love, so it is normal for him to be unsure how to handle them.”

After much hesitation, Finlay finally made up Grayson. his mind to start persuading

“Peerless Grayson, your career is at its peak now, and your status in the industry is no longer as humble as it used to be. You have a lot of autonomy. If you want to date without going public, that’s entirely possible.”

Grayson didn’t pay much attention to Finlay’s words but caught the part about starting an underground relationship with Catherine. That was something he couldn’t accept. He whispered, “No need. If she’s willing, I’ll let the whole world know that she belongs to me.”

He thought inwardly, “As long as she’s willing.”

Inwardly, Finlay couldn’t help but admire Grayson’s declaration. It was bold, though perhaps it was a bit premature.

“Peerless Grayson, I understand what you mean. But have you ever heard the saying to strike while the iron is hot?”

Grayson turned his head and looked at his assistant in confusion. As Finlay Looked at Grayson’s expression, he couldn’t help but suppress the urge to make sarcastic remarks.

“Peerless Grayson, did you not see how attentive that man was just now? It’s clear he’s interested in Catherine. If you don’t make a move soon, she might end up with someone else.”

Finlay’s words plunged Grayson deep into thought. He had noticed the presence of Branden during the recent celebration gala. Catherine had left with Branden without even exchanging a word with Grayson.

During their stay at the hot spring resort, Branden had also stood by Catherine in a way that suggested a romantic relationship. This time, it was Branden again.

Grayson thought inwardly, “Could it be…”

Grayson furrowed his brows and silently sank into contemplation.

Chapter 270 The Concert

After Catherine got into Branden’s car, he started to inquire calmly. “I heard your brother had an accident.

Do you need any help?”

“No need.”

Catherine’s attitude was cold, and she didn’t even bat an eyelid. She thought Johnathan didn’t need her care. Johnathan was the only son of the Swanns. There were plenty of doctors waiting to attend to him.

Since Branden brought it up, Catherine decided to ask for a favor along the way. “Do me a favor.”

Branden gently turned his head to look at her with indulgence.

“Go on.

When others asked him for help, it depended on his mood. But when Catherine asked, it was a matter of one word. Catherine straightforwardly stated her request. She said, “Investigate the car accident.”

Branden raised an eyebrow and looked at her with a meaningful look. ” Johnathan?”

Catherine nodded. She wanted to investigate Johnathan’s car accident. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The timing of Johnathan’s car accident was just too coincidental.

Not long ago, Leonel had a car accident. Then Audrey had an incident, and now Johnathan had a car accident.

With so many coincidences, it might not be a coincidence at all. Without hesitation, Branden nodded in agreement and said, “Alright.”

When Catherine was about to thank him, Branden seemed to read her thoughts and preemptively held her hand. Then he changed the subject.

“Catherine, what would you like to eat tonight? How about barbecue?”

Catherine shook her head and declined the proposal to have a barbecue. “Your last home-cooked meal was excellent.”

Although Catherine loved barbecue, she had found that Branden’s home- cooked dishes suited her taste after trying them a few times.

Branden smiled and looked at Catherine with indulgence. He parted his lips lightly and uttered a single word. He said, “Okay,”

Paxton was sitting in the front seat. He inadvertently overheard this conversation and silently shook his head. He hadn’t expected Branden to cook dishes one day.

The world was truly magical. Last night, Catherine stayed in a guest room across his door again. This morning, she enjoyed the breakfast that Branden had prepared for her. Then she rushed to the classroom at the last minute.

As Ronin saw Catherine in this state, without asking, he knew she had already been well taken care of. Then Ronin silently ate the breakfast he had prepared for Catherine. As soon as the first class ended, Yesenia eagerly ran over to find Catherine. After seeing Yesenia, Ronin couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

He felt like he must have a grudge against the Duncans. He thought inwardly, “Why are the Duncans, one after another, coming to bother me and compete for the attention of Boss?”

He sarcastically asked George, ” George, should we install a card reader at the door to keep these people from coming to Class 8? We can’t handle so many of them.”

After being called by Ronin, George looked at him silently. George knew he was being used as a scapegoat. He had no choice but to remain silent.

Yesenia naturally understood that Ronin was targeting her. She had initially wanted to argue back. But when she thought about how Catherine didn’t like people arguing in front of her, she gave up.

Yesenia ignored Ronin, and Ronin’s provocations failed. He lost interest instantly. Most importantly, Ronin was worried that making too much noise would annoy Catherine, which would be more trouble than it was worth.

Ronin thought inwardly, “Since Yesenia can act innocent and obedient in front of Boss, I can also do it.”

Catherine was wearing headphones and playing a game. She completely ignored Yesenia. Yesenia approached Catherine with enthusiasm. She didn’t mind whether Catherine acknowledged her or not. She cheerfully said, “Super Catherine, there’s a small concert by Peerless Grayson tonight, and I have tickets. Let’s go together.”

Tickets for Grayson’s concert were in high demand, especially for small private shows like this one. If it weren’t for Yesenia’s continuous support for Grayson and her strong membership in his fan club, she wouldn’t have easily obtained tickets to the small concert.

Yesenia believed that Catherine had a good relationship with Grayson and would be willing to go. After all, it was a way to support him.

Ever since she learned that Catherine was not only a gaming sensation but also a talented songwriter and composer, Yesenia’s admiration for her had reached its peak. Catherine remained focused on her game and paid no attention to Yesenia.

Yesenia wasn’t annoyed. She squeezed herself into half of Bryan’s seat. Then she rested her cheek in her hand and idly watched Catherine play games. Bryan rolled his eyes. However, it was Yesenia, and he couldn’t vent his frustration.

Many in the class knew that Yesenia was Bryan’s sister. Both of them were part of the Duncans. Therefore, Yesenia’s attitude toward Bryan was not surprising. It was normal for siblings to behave this way.

Yesenia found watching Catherine play games was a unique form of enjoyment. As a spectator, Yesenia couldn’t even grasp how Catherine was operating, yet Catherine had defeated the other party.

Catherine’s skill was simply outstanding. Yesenia was left feeling dazzled and couldn’t help but scream in excitement. Finally, Catherine ended a match with lightning speed and removed her headphones.

“Super Catherine, I feel like your marksmanship has improved again. That performance of AWM just now was impressive. You’re my idol.”

Most elite gamers would choose a rifle paired with a sniper rifle for versatility in long-range and close-quarters combat.

However, Catherine was different. She carried a shotgun and a single-shot sniper rifle. With these extraordinary maneuvers, she secured a steady victory. With just 20 AWM bullets, she had taken down 20 opponents. It showed her remarkable accuracy and skill.

After observing Catherine’s operation for a while, Yesenia felt that it was more interesting than watching top gaming streamers.

She would be willing to tip her entire fortune to Catherine if there were a tipping feature because no one deserved it more.

Catherine’s eyes were tired from playing, so she decided to take a short break. She glanced at Yesenia with a cold gaze. However, Yesenia was enthusiastic and didn’t notice Catherine’s attitude. She continued approaching Catherine.

“Super Catherine, are we going tonight? I heard it’s Peerless Grayson’s birthday today. Let’s go together. It’s a rare opportunity.”

Catherine thought inwardly, “Birthday?

Catherine thought of a message she had received last night. It seemed that Grayson had indeed invited her. He hoped Catherine would attend his concert.

However, Grayson hosted these kinds of concerts or performances several times a year. So Catherine hadn’t paid much attention to it.

She hadn’t expected it to coincide with Grayson’s birthday. Catherine realized that it had been a while since she celebrated Grayson’s birthday. Since it was his birthday, Catherine decided to go to the concert.

After Catherine nodded in agreement, Yesenia was overjoyed. She couldn’t believe that Catherine had agreed. “Super Catherine, you’re truly beautiful and kind-hearted. I love you so much! Mwah!”

After Catherine agreed, the class time was approaching, and Yesenia prepared to leave. However, she was suddenly grabbed by the collar by Bryan and forcefully pulled back.

Yesenia furrowed her brow and looked at Bryan with an unhappy expression. Her tone was rigid as she asked, “What are you doing?”

Bryan was somewhat awkward, and his voice sounded uneasy. “How many tickets do you have?”

Upon hearing this, Yesenia instantly understood and had a smug look on her face. “So, you want a ticket, huh? No problem. Since you’re a member of the Duncans, I’ll give you one. You’re in luck.”

As Bryan watched Yesenia leave with arrogance, he wanted to give her a good smack. She was so infuriating.