Ch. 271..280

Chapter 271 Battle of Fans

The recital ended up having a massive crowd with the addition of Catherine. Not only did Bryan go, but even Ronin followed. The appearance of several attractive people drew the attention of many of the fans in attendance.

A big fan recognized Yesenia, as she had thrown a lot of money into supporting her favorite idol.

“Ms. Yesenia, you’re here! Are these guys all your friends?”

The fact that the fan did not recognize Catherine somewhat annoyed Yesenia, and she made an introduction to the fan at the first opportunity.

“Don’t you know Super Catherine? She’s Peerless Grayson’s regular composer. Those famous songs of Peerless Grayson are all written by Super Catherine. Don’t you even know that?”

There had been rumors on the internet before that Catherine, the sister of actress Audrey, knew Grayson because she was Grayson’s arranger.

But it was all rumors, and no one had any solid information, so people weren’t sure. After all, many people liked to boast and would end up getting exposed and humiliated.

The big fan glanced at Catherine and treated her kind of politely for Yesenia’s sake. “Super Catherine, please take a seat. The recital is about to start!”

Catherine ignored the fan and sat down where Yesenia pointed. She had no interest in unfamiliar people. At the last celebration gala, although her identity had been publicly exposed, Branden blocked all the news on the spot.

The news that she was Sugar, a great composer, did not explode on the internet; only a small portion of the netizens knew about it. Because of Yesenia’s introduction, Catherine had caught quite a few people’s eyes.

On their left side, a girl wearing a short pink shirt said to her friend at the side, “This is Catherine. Previously, when Peerless Grayson was on the variety show, she was sticking herself to Peerless Grayson, wanting to take advantage of the opportunity to climb to the top!”

“That’s her. Now she’s rushing to the recital. Does she want to create more gossip so everyone knows about her and she can take advantage of the opportunity to get to the top?”

“I’ve heard that she and Audrey aren’t that close either. It’s all for the show. They are related by blood, yeah. But because of her bad luck, she was brought to the countryside by her parents as a child to fend for herself. Other people called her a jinx, the kind that even her parents didn’t want her!”

“Really? So exaggerated? How can a child from the countryside like her be a great composer? Could she be another one of those tricksters? After all, no one has ever seen Sugar in person!”

The girl in the pink shirt snorted. “Who knows? I won’t believe anything else unless Peerless Grayson personally certifies it!”

The sound of their discussion was light but still reached Yesenia’s side. Yesenia was furious as soon as she heard that someone was dissing Catherine. But just as she was about to stand up, Bryan pulled her back.

Yesenia turned back and looked at Bryan with a puzzled expression. ”

What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you’re trying to stop me. Didn’t you hear them bad-mouthing Boss?”

Bryan swept a glance in Catherine’s direction and said in a cold voice, “Do you think Boss cares about that? Stay out of trouble and listen to Boss’s arrangements.”

Hearing his words, Yesenia glanced in Catherine’s direction, only to find Catherine had a calm look and focused on her cell phone with an expressionless face the entire time. It was obvious that she wasn’t affected at all.

It wasn’t that Bryan wasn’t generous, but he looked at the problem from a deeper perspective than Yesenia.

They had plenty of opportunities to clean up these people. However, given Yesenia’s dramatic personality, she wouldn’t stop until she made a scene.

The recital was about to start, and perhaps Catherine didn’t want to ruin Grayson’s recital. Yesenia sat down somewhat reluctantly, extremely annoyed.

Bryan leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Don’t worry. Just wait until the recital is over, and then you can make as much of a scene as you want!”

A few more minutes passed, and the recital hadn’t started yet. The recital should have started five minutes ago, but nothing had happened. The crowd was chattering in groups inside the venue, but no one was complaining.

After all, these fans were used to waiting. Generally, this kind of small- scale fan recital could hardly start on time due to various factors, and a delay of one or two hours was the norm, not to mention five or six minutes.

The head fan who had gone out to inquire about the news returned. She told the crowd of anxiously waiting fans about the latest news she had learned.

“I’m telling you guys, Peerless Grayson shot all night yesterday for today’s recital. He’s already backstage and will be ready to start the recital in about ten minutes. He’s a bit late because it’s a long way from the set, plus the traffic is a bit more congested on Fridays. Everyone should be more understanding of him, okay?”

At these words, the crowd of Grayson’s fans let out sighs, feeling heartbroken that their idol was working so hard.

For people like Bryan, it was already for Catherine’s sake that they could come to see Grayson’s recital, and as a result, they now had to wait.

When he heard that another ten minutes would be required, he couldn’t help but complain about it. “Why couldn’t he have left earlier when he knew that there would be traffic jams on a Friday? Is Grayson so unreliable in his work?”

Yesenia, a perennial star follower with a lot of experience, looked at Bryan with disdain and said in disgust, “You just know nothing! It’s called a big star! The more famous one is, the later he appears. Waiting for the stage too early will mean disgrace, you know?”

“Why should I know it? Is Grayson different from us? Does he have one more nose or two more eyes than we do? I can be friends with Grayson, but it’s better to kill me if I’m told to follow some celebrities,” thought Bryan.

Not only Bryan but Ronin also couldn’t wait any longer. He suggested to Catherine in a low voice, “Boss, we can find a separate time for Grayson to sing for you alone if you want to hear him sing. Or maybe we can wait until later and celebrate the birthday together when his recital is over, just before twelve o’clock. I don’t believe he won’t come.”

Then he added, “It’s almost seven now. Let’s grab some food. You’ll have a problem with your stomach if you starve too long.”

Catherine’s stomach had some minor problems, so she had to eat on time. Ronin knew it was all because of him, so he was more concerned about this than anyone else. Hearing Ronin’s proposal, Bryan was in favor of it. “I agree!”

Before Catherine could reply, she heard the girl in the short pink shirt from before say mockingly, “Do you really think you’re something? How dare you let Peerless Grayson sing for you guys alone? Are you serious?”

Another girl on the side immediately added, “That’s right. I don’t even know if she’s that great composer, but she dares to be so arrogant! Who do you think you are? You still want Peerless Grayson to celebrate your birthday with you. How dare you?”

“Times have changed, really. Anyone can brag about anything now?”

The later ones went further overboard, and what they said got harsher and harsher. Ronin was about to explode with anger.

“You bastards, how dare you diss Boss? It looks like you guys have a death wish! shouted he inwardly.

Chapter 272 Don’t Be Too Arrogant

Ronin angrily pointed at the girl in pink and said fiercely, “Shut the fuck up. If you dare to talk nonsense again, you should be aware of what I’m going to do to you!”

That girl didn’t even know who Ronin was. She was spoiled by her family and didn’t take him seriously at all.

Hearing Ronin’s words, she instantly became furious. “Huh, what do you want to do? Did I hit your sore spot? You dare to say so, but why can’t you accept the words of others?”

As soon as she finished speaking, the girls around her all spoke in her favor.

“Yeah. Why should we be told to shut up? Did we say anything wrong? You guys can brag and not allow us to tell the truth?”

The girl in pink stopped her friend and looked at Ronin and the others with a face full of mockery.

Then, she said sarcastically, “Don’t be like this. What if she’s really Peerless Grayson’s composer? If we offend her, we might get into trouble, so it’s better to be careful. Lying and bragging isn’t a crime, and if we piss them off, we might get blamed for it!”

Another girl laughingly seconded the girl in pink, saying, “You have a point. My mom told me that some people are born to be cursed. When we meet this kind of person, we have to avoid them, or else we’ll get into bad luck!”

What the girls said completely pissed off Bryan and the rest of them, especially Yesenia.

She had been pulled back by Bryan just now so that she didn’t lose her temper to deal with these annoying girls. Now that they were so arrogant, she could not imagine what they could do if she didn’t teach them a hard lesson.

“You bitches, let me see if you dare to repeat what you just said. I swear I’ll make you have a hard time!” Yesenia had one hand on her hip, surrounded by an overwhelming aura. She was ready to fight at any time.

Bryan and Ronin stood behind her on both sides, backing her up. The somewhat powerful aura around them intimidated the girls on the opposite side.

But given that they often gathered together for the stars, their relationship was quite good, and at the call of the girl in pink, the biggest fan, Elliana, came near as well. “Elliana, these few people insulted Peerless Grayson. We definitely can’t let them off!”

“Yeah, especially that Catherine. She even pretended to be Peerless Grayson’s composer and said that she’d let Peerless Grayson sing for them alone. They don’t have the slightest bit of manners!”

Elliana’s face darkened. Ronin’s remark just now was indeed too arrogant. At Elliana’s signal, several fans gathered around.

When the girl in pink saw the helpers, her attitude instantly became arrogant. She said smugly, “Come on. Do you really think we’re afraid of you guys? None of you can leave so easily if you don’t apologize properly to us today.”

Catherine originally wanted to ignore it. She had put her cell phone away and slowly stood up. Seeing Catherine get up, Yesenia took the initiative to step back and make way.

Catherine walked forward with her hands in her pockets, her pace leisurely, and her cool gaze gently swept over the people present.

On her exquisite and stunning face, a domineering light filtered through her beautiful yet lazy eyes, and cold light penetrated from the slightly upturned outer corners of her eyes, looking scary and terrifying.

Her body was adorned with an appalling aura, and she looked evil, domineering, and overbearing. She raised her eyebrows slightly and narrowed her eyes, looking straight at the pink-clothed girl standing across from her.

“Who did you say couldn’t leave?” The voice was not loud, but a weird coldness seeped out of her cold voice and chilled to the bones of the people around. With a single look from Catherine, the girl in pink on the opposite was frightened and took three steps back.

She had never seen such terrifying eyes before, and a glance from Catherine made her feel like she was being jabbed with a sharp sword.

Subconsciously, she wanted to escape, not daring to look straight into Catherine’s eyes. Her discouragement deepened Elliana’s resentment towards Catherine.

They’re right. Peerless Grayson hasn’t even personally confirmed Catherine’s identity, and now she’s bringing people here to strut her stuff. She doesn’t show any respect for me, right?” thought Elliana.

To maintain her current position among the fans of Peerless Grayson, she had to teach Catherine a lesson.

She looked at Catherine with sharp eyes and said with a condescending attitude, “Since you are here, you should be Peerless Grayson’s fan, so you have to obey the arrangements of the fan club. I order you to apologize to everyone immediately now, or don’t blame me for being rude.

“If you’re really Peerless Grayson’s regular composer, how come you didn’t go to the VIP section arranged by Peerless Grayson but instead sat in the ticketed seat that I gave to Yesenia?

“Could it be that as the regular composer, you can’t even get a VIP seat? Hearing Elliana’s words, everyone became more and more unconvinced about Catherine being Sugar.

The voices of skepticism grew louder and louder, and Elliana led the way for everyone to demand Catherine and the others to apologize.

Ronin clenched his fists in anger, his finger joint turning white, and so did Bryan, but he was somewhat calmer than Ronin.

Anyway, it was wrong to hit someone. Besides, the other party was all girls, so how were they going to do that?

A light beating would be of little use, but a heavier one might cause things to get out of hand. Just as things came to a standstill, Catherine suddenly tilted her head towards Ronin on the side and said, Notify Grayson and tell him to come here!”

After all, the girls were his fans, so he should come to deal with the scene now.

Upon hearing Catherine’s words, Elliana laughed in anger. “Huh, are you addicted to pretending? Do you think you can get Peerless Grayson to come here with just a phone call? Do you really think you’re something?”

Before Ronin could make the call, a magnetic and clear voice suddenly came from the front stage, instantly attracting everyone’s attention.

“I’m here!”

The voice was so familiar, and the words were so gentle.

The crowd subconsciously looked towards the stage, where they saw Grayson. He was wearing only a shirt and had not even finished wearing his makeup, and he was standing on the stage with a microphone in his hand. Some girls already couldn’t help but scream, “Peerless Grayson! Peerless Grayson is here…”

Grayson stretched out his index finger and gently placed it on his lips, and the screams died out instantly.

Under the crowd’s astonished gaze, Grayson jumped off the stage swiftly and walked in the direction of Catherine and the others.

The crowd of onlookers spontaneously parted, leaving the middle of the road for Grayson so that he could come to Catherine as fast as he could.

Grayson stood in front of Catherine with a clear light shining through his charming eyes, his gaze as bright as burning fire. He had just heard his assistant say that there were fans causing trouble outside, but he was used to this kind of thing.

Most of the fans were young people with very different characters. They were highly emotional, and it was easy for them to get into conflicts.

Grayson asked his assistant to persuade the fans not to make a big mess. Unexpectedly, when the assistant returned, he actually told Grayson that Catherine had come and was involved in this matter!

Without even thinking about it, he pushed his makeup artist out of the way and rushed onto the stage with a microphone in hand.

He was so happy that Catherine had come to see him!

Chapter 273 Gratitude

When Grayson saw Catherine, he felt a bit nervous, and his hands holding the microphone were sweaty.

“Boss, why are you here?”

Catherine didn’t speak, and her eyes looked cold. She glanced in the direction behind Grayson. Grayson immediately understood Catherine’s meaning. “Boss, leave it to me!”

After saying that, Grayson turned to face his fans with a very serious expression. Grayson, who was known for his gentleness, suddenly appeared so serious, which scared his fans.

These fans instinctively took a step back. Especially the fan leader, who was panicking, began to feel her feet trembling. Grayson said in an unusually serious tone, his gaze cold and his voice deep and terrifying, “Who said that Catherine is a fake? Step forward!”

This time, Grayson didn’t need to explain anything. Judging from his attitude, it was clear that Catherine’s identity was real. The fans all turned pale, not even daring to speak.

However, Grayson had no intention of stopping. He continued in a gloomy tone, “The claim that Catherine is my exclusive music teacher is incorrect!”

Everyone was dumbfounded. Just a second ago, Grayson was defending Catherine. But why was he now denying her identity as his exclusive music teacher? Could there be a twist in the situation?

The girl in pink couldn’t wait to speak up when she heard this. Judging from her assertive expression, she was afraid that others wouldn’t know how much she was looking forward to it.

“Now that Grayson has told you that Catherine is not his exclusive music teacher, shouldn’t you all apologize to us?”

Yesenia and the others were a bit panicked, not knowing what Grayson meant by this. Grayson and Catherine were good friends, weren’t they? Why wasn’t he speaking up for her?

Yesenia stole a glance at Catherine and made up her mind to protect her. But she didn’t expect that while she was anxious, Catherine remained calm and completely unaffected.

Bryan felt worried after hearing Grayson’s words, so he wanted to discuss strategies with Ronin. But Ronin just stood there confidently with a sarcastic smile on his face.

Although Bryan didn’t know what Ronin was planning, seeing Ronin’s expression made him feel relieved. He knew that Ronin cared about Catherine more than anyone else. If Ronin could remain so calm, it meant that Catherine would be fine.

Grayson looked at the girl shouting happily in front of him, his eyes filled with anger and extreme displeasure.

“So, it was you causing trouble all along,” he said in a cold and deep voice, exuding a chilling dominance. The girl in pink didn’t realize that Grayson was referring to her and still had a smug expression on her face. It wasn’t until the girl next to her pulled her hand forcefully that she realized it.

When she looked up, she met Grayson’s icy and furious gaze. She was frightened and started to stutter, “Grayson, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Why? Then, how should I look at you? I despise people who sow discord and create chaos the most. If it weren’t for you today, there wouldn’t be such chaos.” Grayson’s voice was cold, like a sharp sword, instantly piercing through the girl’s heart.

Grayson pressed on, his face covered in a layer of icy frost. “You defamed my idol and ruined my concert. How should I treat you?”

“I, I…” The girl in pink kept stepping back, her face turning red. Finally, she managed to say, “But you said she’s not your exclusive music teacher, right? She lied! So, we can expose her!”

In response to her questioning, Grayson chuckled coldly. “You’re right. She is indeed not my exclusive music teacher.”

Grayson paused for a moment, then spoke with utmost seriousness.” Because I am not qualified yet. Catherine’s musical talent is unquestionable. She is my idol, someone I have always admired. Just like how you all see me as an idol, I also have an idol, and that is Catherine!”

It turned out that it wasn’t that Grayson didn’t want to acknowledge Catherine’s identity, but rather that Catherine was beyond his reach.

The surrounding fans were shocked. They never expected their idol to admire someone else so much. Facing the amazed and inquisitive gazes of the crowd, Catherine stood expressionless, exuding an air of elegance and aloofness.

Grayson immediately arranged for security to escort the girl in pink and her companions out of the venue. As they were leaving, Grayson signaled to the security guard, who nodded in response. The fan lead turned pale with fear and stayed motionless among the crowd of fans.

No one expected Grayson to be so domineering for Catherine. After all, for celebrities, fans were their most important support. Offending them could potentially ruin all their efforts overnight.

The girl in pink was directly kicked out of the venue, and everyone thought that the situation had calmed down. However, Grayson walked straight toward the fan lead.

He stared coldly at her, his voice low and authoritative as he said, “I know you. Thank you for your support all these years, but today, you must apologize to Catherine.”

The fan lead was excited about Grayson’s “I know you” remark. Although Grayson looked extremely serious, she was charmed by his intimidating look. Realizing her mistake, the fan lead immediately began apologizing to Catherine.

“Miss Swann, I’m sorry. I believed the rumors and misunderstood you. Please don’t blame me! I’m sorry!”

The girl’s attitude was sincere, and it wasn’t her who caused trouble earlier, so Catherine decided not to hold a grudge, Catherine glanced at Grayson and softly said, “Go ahead!”

Without hesitation, Grayson responded, “Okay!”

He didn’t even have time to fix his makeup properly before returning to the stage and instructing the band to start playing.

After finishing a song, the audience was enraptured by the performance. Holding the microphone, Grayson thanked the fans for their support before his gaze settled on one spot. His deep and resonant voice reverberated throughout the concert hall, captivating everyone who heard it.

“I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to my idol. Since I was 13 years old, she has been my idol. For so many years, because of her humility, I haven’t been able to publicly express my gratitude to her.

“Today, I finally get the chance to express my gratitude, and I feel honored and extremely excited about it.

“Catherine, thank you for your trust and support all these years!”

“Without you, I can’t get where I am today.”

The fans’ voices were almost hoarse from cheering. No one expected Grayson to be so bold and publicly express his gratitude to Catherine on stage. People’s gaze turned to Catherine. They wondered what her reaction would be…

Chapter 274 What’s Going On?

At the Duncan Corporation. Triston, holding his phone, rushed into the office in a panic. He was moving so fast that Paxton couldn’t even react. Before reaching Branden, Triston shouted, “Mr. Duncan, we have a big problem!”

Branden calmly looked up, his cold eyes fixed on Triston, instantly freezing him in place. Triston had originally intended to charge forward, but this single glance from Branden made him stop 10 feet away. He was too afraid to approach any closer.

Branden’s lips slightly parted. He said in a low and cold voice, “You better be sure that what you’re about to say is important, or I’ll have Paxton throw you out of here!”

This building had a total of 88 floors, and Branden’s office was on the top floor. It seemed that Branden was planning to throw Triston off without giving him a chance to explain.

Triston was so shocked that his whole body trembled, his legs involuntarily shaking. He suddenly regretted his impulsiveness. He realized that he shouldn’t have rushed to Branden’s office as soon as he received the news.

What if…

Triston quickly got out of his imagination, tentatively asking, “If it’s about Catherine, does that count as an important matter?”

After observing for a while, Triston couldn’t perceive any useful information from Branden’s expression. After all, Branden always had an icy look, unchanging for years.

Triston was now in a difficult position and felt panicked, not knowing what to do. He could only timidly seek help from Paxton, who was standing beside him..

Paxton was truly not interested in dealing with Triston’s foolishness. If it weren’t for Triston’s long-standing relationship with Branden, he would have thrown Triston out a long time ago. Rolling his eyes, Paxton coldly said, ” Mr. Lambert, Mr. Duncan wants you to cut the nonsense and get to the point!”

“Oh, I see!” Triston responded, suddenly understanding what was going on. He quickly handed over his phone. “Mr. Duncan, this is serious. You need to watch this video. Someone publicly confessed his love for Catherine!”

As Triston’s exaggerated words filled the air, Branden’s face darkened. Paxton really wanted to strangle Triston on the spot. “You just don’t know how to communicate properly, do you, you idiot!” he cursed inwardly. ” Do you really want to provoke Mr. Branden and get everyone in trouble?”

The video started playing, and Grayson’s deep voice echoed through the office. The more they listened, the darker Branden’s expression became.

Paxton’s heart sank. He couldn’t understand why fate had sent Triston, a fool, to sabotage him. His boss loved Catherine, and now another man dared to say such ambiguous things to her in public. That guy was asking for trouble!

“Ah, we’re doomed,” Paxton murmured inwardly. A thin layer of frost covered Branden’s face, and his eyes stared intensely atthe video in front of him. He gazed at Grayson’s handsome face, his eyes growing even darker!

Until…

After Grayson finished speaking, the video shifted its focus to another person at the scene. As the camera reversed, a stunningly beautiful face appeared on the screen. However, the owner of this beautiful face was taking. a nap.

As Branden looked at her peaceful sleeping face, his sharp eyes gradually softened, and the cold aura around him slowly dissipated. The intense pressure in the office seemed to suddenly fade away, leaving Triston somewhat bewildered. Triston looked up and saw Branden smiling.

“His fiancée was being praised so ambiguously in public, and now he’s smiling?” Triston asked inwardly. ” What the hell is going on?”

Driven by curiosity, Triston slowly approached and glanced at the screen. When he saw Catherine’s sleeping face, he almost burst into laughter. But he didn’t have a chance to examine it further, as Branden had already placed the phone on the desk upside down.

Branden turned his head and glanced at Paxton, who immediately stepped forward, preparing to escort Triston out.

Startled, Triston exclaimed, “Mr. Duncan, you can’t be so ruthless! I came here to deliver information. Can’t you at least let me have a drink of water before I leave?”

Ignoring Triston’s protests, Paxton continued to drag him away. As Triston was about to be dragged out of the door, he decided to play his trump card.

“Mr. Duncan, I have important information to report!” he exclaimed. The moment Branden looked up, Paxton, as if triggered by a sensor, instantly stopped restraining Triston. Shaking off Paxton’s grip, Triston approached Branden.

“Mr. Duncan, although Catherine doesn’t have any interest in Grayson, he is quite persistent. I suggest you be prepared!”

Branden raised his head, his icy gaze falling on Triston’s face.

“Is that all?”

Triston was comparing him to Grayson. Was it because Triston thought highly of Grayson or looked down on him?

This single glance made Triston panic. Triston swallowed nervously, his expression suddenly tense. He said slowly, “Mr. Duncan, I believe Grayson has some ulterior motive. He is doing well in the entertainment industry, and he even has a stake in his current talent agency. Also, he enjoys making investments and has made quite a fortune over the years. Most importantly, I suspect he has connections with the Hacker Alliance!”

The mention of the Hacker Alliance caught Branden’s attention. His eyes narrowed instantly.

“Are you sure?”

Triston felt uneasy under the cold tone but cautiously nodded. “Yes, six months ago, Grayson and Raymond were planning to collaborate on a multinational project in the lawless Middle Estria. They offended the local reactionary forces and almost caused a major incident. Later, Raymond said that Grayson had enlisted the help of the Hacker Alliance to resolve the situation.”

Raymond was Triston’s cousin, and Branden happened to know him.

If what Raymond said was true, then Grayson must have some connection with the Hacker Alliance. The nature of that relationship still needed to be investigated.

Branden turned his head to look at Paxton, who immediately nodded respectfully and responded, “Yes, sir, I will investigate right away.”

As Paxton was about to leave, Branden stopped him. He glanced in Triston’s direction and said, “Take him with you!”

This time, Triston obediently followed along, Once they were out of the office, Triston finally let out his frustration and started venting.

“Paxton, what’s wrong with your boss? I kindly brought him the information, and he didn’t even offer me a glass of water. He just kicked me out like this! Are we still friends?”

Paxton rolled his eyes at him without saying a word. Triston continued, “Why is he so ungrateful? How can he be so ruthless to me?”

“You asked for it.” Paxton bluntly pointed out without any mercy. Triston was so infuriated that he almost fainted on the spot.

What on earth was going on here?

Chapter 275 Who Else but Branden?

Grayson, standing on the stage, saw Catherine’s sleeping face and smiled helplessly. Because it was just a small concert that was purely held as a way to express his gratitude toward his loyal fans on his birthday, it wasn’t made particularly grand.

The originally planned three songs, plus an encore requested by fans, were performed. The concert came to an end.

As soon as the concert ended, Ronin reached out and tapped Catherine, waking her up. Catherine opened her eyes in a dazed state and looked at Ronin with a somewhat hazy gaze, asking, “Is it over?”

“Yeah, Boss, it’s over. I received a message from Grayson. He invites us to meet at the secure passage,” Ronin said while handing her a cup of moderately warm coffee.

Watching this, Yesenia was full of envy. Grayson’s singing just now was so amazing, and she, just like other fans at the venue, screamed wildly. Now, her throat felt as dry as if it were on fire.

All her water had gone, and she couldn’t even take another sip. There was a regulation for the concert that each person was allowed to bring in one bottle of water.

Ronin didn’t even drink it himself, leaving a cup of coffee he brought in for Catherine. He really provided excellent service.

Catherine was completely unaware of what had happened. As they walked into the secret passage arranged by Grayson’s security, Ronin enthusiastically revealed what had happened earlier.

“Boss, Grayson just expressed his gratitude and thanks to you on stage. Can’t imagine this kid knows how to repay kindness.”

“If one day, I get the chance to express my gratitude to you on a stage, I’ll definitely do it so that the whole world can see!”

Ronin had been by Catherine’s side even before Grayson arrived. He had always been following her lead, with only the thought of protecting and taking care of her in his mind. He had known Grayson for many years, and in his opinion, Grayson’s kindness towards Catherine was the same as his own. It was admiration and reverence!

“Is that so?” Catherine responded casually, her face showing no emotion. Perhaps it was because Ronin expressed his gratitude and appreciation to her every day, and she had long been accustomed to it.

Bryan stood aside, sneering coldly, thinking to himself that Ronin was truly an emotional fool. Even he could tell that something was off. Ronin, however, couldn’t even sense the strangeness in the situation.

Grayson’s gaze towards Catherine was so affectionate. There was surely a problem.

“How dare that guy say such things to Boss on the stage!” Bryan bellowed inwardly. “If I don’t do something, I’d disgrace the Duncans!”

“Oh, here you are!”

A slightly hoarse voice came from behind, and everyone turned around. They saw Grayson leaving his assistant behind and rushing towards them. Throughout the entire time, Grayson’s eyes were focused on Catherine. He waved his hand to greet her.

Catherine was about to respond when she felt a vibration in her pocket. She glanced around and lowered her head to pick up her phone, placing it by her ear.

“Looking for me?”

“Yeah!” A deep and attractive voice came through the receiver, different from Grayson’s deliberately trained deep voice. Branden’s voice sounded even deeper. It was the kind of voice that truly made anyone who heard it fall for it, piercing through their eardrum and striking the deepest part of their soul.

“Went to a concert?” the man asked, and Catherine hummed in response. Branden continued, “It’s about time for dinner. Shall I pick you up?”

Catherine could tell that it was a tentative suggestion.

“Why don’t you come along? I can’t leave for now!” Since Catherine had promised Yesenia and the others to have dinner together, she didn’t want to go back on her word.

“Alright, give me the address. I’ll come over later!” After Branden finished speaking, he waited for Catherine to hang up before putting away his phone.

Triston watched in awe from the side. All of his rare moments of shock and amazement in life were dedicated to Branden.

He never expected that Branden, the usually icy and aloof tycoon, could be so gentle when talking to his girlfriend over the phone.

The brief moment of tenderness made Triston forget his fear of Branden. He immediately pounced on Branden, tugging at Branden’s sleeve. “Mr. Duncan, I want to go too!”

How could he, the gossip expert, miss out on this scene of avenging the adulterer?

Branden remained unmoved, and Paxton, who was beside Triston, stepped in. Triston was directly thrown out of the hall! Triston shouted in frustration, “Mr. Duncan, you can’t just throw me out like that. I will be very helpful!”

Ronin approached Catherine after she hung up the phone. “Boss, is someone else coming?”

“Yeah.” Catherine nodded slightly, not wanting to say much more. Ronin knew what she meant. Who else could make Catherine answer the phone personally besides Branden?

Grayson had been keeping an eye on Catherine. He noticed the change in her expression when she took the call.

He knew that Catherine was always cold and aloof, treating everything and everyone with the same cold demeanor. He had assumed that Catherine was always like this and that she would never change for anyone.

But during that brief phone call, Grayson had sensed something different. Her eyes were different. There was a light of joy in them. It turned out she was able to treat others in a gentle way, but she wouldn’t treat him like that.

Grayson felt a pang of discomfort, like a needle piercing his heart, but he still smiled and tried to act normal. “Boss, can we go now?”

Catherine nodded slightly. “Yeah. Let’s go,” They went to a very secluded restaurant. It was highly private, and reservations had to be made well in advance.

Grayson was a member, and since it was his birthday, he received special treatment and didn’t even have to make a reservation.

But they didn’t expect to run into Loraine in the restaurant’s lobby. They hadn’t seen her since their last encounter at the resort. That made sense. They lived in different circles, so they didn’t cross paths often.

Ronin was the first to notice Loraine. He rolled his eyes. leaned in towards Catherine, and whispered, “Boss, we must have missed our lucky day today. We’ve encountered another troublemaker!”

Catherine followed his gaze and saw Loraine. Their eyes met, and sparks of hostility flew. Loraine walked towards them. The last time they had seen her at the resort, things hadn’t ended well. Now, no one knew what would happen.

Even Yesenia unconsciously tightened her nerves and prepared for the worst.

Chapter 276 Are You Happy Now?

Loraine eventually chose to stay right in front of Catherine, standing about 20 inches away from her, with a gentle smile on her face. For some reason, everyone felt that Loraine’s smile looked somewhat creepy and eerie.

“Miss Swann, what a coincidence to run into you here!” Loraine said, her tone filled with a strange mix of friendliness and malice. Catherine glanced at her indifferently and remained silent.

Faced with Catherine’s cold attitude, Loraine felt a bit angry, but she didn’t show it. Instead, she continued to smile brightly.

“Well, Miss Swann, are you still mad about what happened before? I thought you had forgotten about it after the resort incident. Are you still holding a grudge?” Loraine said in a sarcastic tone.

Listening to Loraine’s snide remarks, Ronin was getting infuriated. Why was this woman seeking attention for no reason? She was clearly insinuating that Catherine was petty and scheming!

Ronin was so angry that he wanted to tear Loraine’s face apart and teach her a lesson. But Loraine remained composed, maintaining an arrogant smile on her face, exuding an air of nobility that lacked courtesy.

“If you’re still angry, how about I apologize to you again? Since we’ve coincidentally met, let’s not dwell on those trivial matters.”

Even Yesenia felt her anger rising. She hadn’t realized before how arrogant Loraine was. The more she looked at Loraine, the more uncomfortable she felt. She could clearly feel the underlying sarcasm in Loraine’s words.

Ronin’s patience had reached its limit. Not able to hold back his anger any longer, he whispered to Catherine, ” Boss…”

Catherine slowly raised her gaze, her eyes shimmering with a hint of rebellion. Her smile revealed a domineering aura.

“Let’s begin,” Catherine suddenly said in a cold voice, uttering two words that left everyone stunned. No one knew what Catherine meant by that. Even Loraine was a bit confused, not understanding the meaning behind Catherine’s words. She furrowed her brows and earnestly asked, “Begin what?”

“Begin your apology. You just said you wanted to apologize to me, didn’t you? Catherine said, her expression serious as she carefully observed Loraine.

Loraine struggled to maintain her composure, almost bursting with anger. Yesenia and the others standing behind Catherine were barely able to contain their laughter. Catherine’s move was so ruthless!

Loraine would never have imagined that Catherine would ask her to apologize again. Just moments ago, Ronin was furious, but after hearing Catherine’s words, he instantly perked up. He knew well how to cooperate with Catherine. Now that she had taken the lead, it was his turn to take action.

Ronin looked smugly at Loraine, his smile not hiding any hint of satisfaction. “Exactly, are you planning on going back on your word, Loraine? I remember that the Sanfords are well known for their integrity in the business world. If the esteemed Miss Sanford’s words hold no weight, it’ll be quite embarrassing, right?”

Loraine was trembling with anger. She never expected Catherine to be so shameless. But then again, she had dug her own grave. She had already been humiliated once, and now she was being forced to embarrass herself again.

“No!” she said to herself. “I can’t let this happen!”

This was the lobby, after all! Although it was a secluded restaurant, there were still many people present. She couldn’t afford to lose face like this. As the situation seemed to reach a stalemate, suddenly…

“What’s all the commotion about?”

A sudden voice broke the silence, capturing everyone’s attention. As they turned around, they saw a figure in a black trench coat striding towards them with remarkable presence. It was Branden, accompanied by the equally distinguished Triston, who had asked the question earlier.

Upon seeing Branden, a glimmer of hope lit up in Loraine’s eyes, and she couldn’t help but look a bit coy. She poised herself elegantly, ready to greet Branden perfectly. However, to her surprise, Branden didn’t even spare her a glance. He walked straight to Catherine’s side and took her hand in his own.

At the moment Branden held Catherine’s hand, he furrowed his eyebrows slightly. In a deep voice, he expressed displeasure and genuine concern. “Why is your hand so cold?”

Without waiting for Catherine’s response, he took off his coat and draped it over her. Catherine glanced down at the black trench coat covering her, her expression slightly displeased. Was it really that cold? Why didn’t she feel anything?

That made sense. There was a kind of cold called “your boyfriend thinks you’re cold.”

Branden carefully observed Catherine, who was wearing his clothes. She looked beautiful no matter when he looked at her, and his heart couldn’t help but soften.

With the major issue of Catherine’s health resolved, Branden now had the mental space to focus on other things.

“Why are you guys standing in the lobby instead of going to the private room?” When he spoke to Catherine, his voice unconsciously softened.

Upon hearing his question, Catherine looked up in the direction of Loraine and replied, “She said she wanted to apologize to me again, so I’m waiting!”

Catherine’s words made Loraine feel as if she was going to vomit blood. At this point, she had no choice but to act tough. She refused to believe that a man like Branden would fall in love with a woman who always caused trouble.

Loraine stared straight at Branden, her face full of grievances as if she had been greatly wronged.

“Branden, I just met Miss Swann and wanted to greet her, but she didn’t seem too happy. I was wondering if it’s because she hasn’t forgotten the incident at the resort, so I thought of apologizing to her again.”

Branden listened to Loraine’s description and nodded earnestly. “Oh, I see…”

“Yes!” Loraine’s seductive eyes kept giving off sparks towards Branden.” Branden, do you think I should apologize?”

Branden looked at Loraine expressionlessly, his voice cold and sinister as he said, “Didn’t you say you wanted to apologize? Come on. We’re in a hurry to eat!”

Loraine’s eyes nearly popped out in shock when she heard this. She didn’t expect that not only did Branden not scold Catherine for causing trouble, but he also forced her to apologize to Catherine.

“That’s right. Hurry up. Our food is getting cold!” Ronin chimed in, his face full of smugness.

The others also spoke up. Under the urging of the crowd and the coercion of Branden, Loraine reluctantly apologized to Catherine.

“Catherine, I apologize to you for the incident at the resort!” Loraine endured the humiliation, her eyes red as she looked at Catherine.

“Are you happy now?”

Chapter 277 Center of Attention

In response to Loraine’s inquiry, Catherine chuckled. “No worries. Next time you encounter me, you can apologize to me again!”

Hearing this, Yesenia, standing behind Catherine, burst into laughter. Catherine’s words were truly ruthless! She knew well how to infuriate people without using any foul language.

The mockery and laughter from the crowd left Loraine feeling utterly humiliated. She never expected that Catherine, a country girl, would have some tricks up her sleeve and such a sharp tongue, making her so embarrassed.

Loraine’s face had become extremely dark, and if she hadn’t forced herself to remain composed, she would have probably collapsed long ago. She gritted her teeth. “Well, I’m looking forward to our next meeting!”

Next time, she would make Catherine kneel and apologize to her. Catherine smiled faintly. “Sure!”

“Hmph!” Loraine snorted coldly and left in a huff. She stomped her high heels so hard on the floor that it seemed like she was creating craters. It was evident just how angry she was this time.

After Loraine left, Yesenia skipped over to Catherine’s side, looking at her with admiration in her eyes.

“Catherine, why are you so amazing? You effortlessly defeated the number one socialite in Casier. I can tell that Loraine was so infuriated by you that her carefully crafted facade of the past decade is about to crumble.”

Loraine was not only famous in Casier but also ranked highly on the national socialite list.

Yesenia’s elders used to encourage her to learn from Loraine, not only to improve herself but also to enhance the Duncans’ reputation. She had intended to communicate with Loraine, as Loraine rarely put on airs in front of her.

But after knowing Catherine, she suddenly changed her mind and realized how naive and foolish she used to be.

“Catherine, aren’t you afraid of Loraine morally manipulating you? I feel like every word she said was meant to praise herself while taunting you,” Yesenia asked sincerely. Catherine responded, “As long as I set aside my morals, no one can ever manipulate me!”

After Catherine finished speaking, Branden pulled her towards the private room, saying, “Let’s eat!”

Yesenia stood dumbfounded behind them, her face full of astonishment. Catherine was so cool! She was truly amazing!

Yesenia admired her so much that when she finally came to her senses, Catherine was already almost inside the private room. She hurriedly caught up, saying, “Super Catherine, wait for me!”

Grayson, who was left behind, stared at the hand holding Catherine’s, lost in thought. The moment Branden appeared, he completely lost his presence.

Countless people had told him that he was a superstar. And he had once lost himself, thinking that he was capable enough to stand by Catherine’s side. But Branden’s appearance made him. realize how insignificant he was.

He hated this feeling! Even though he knew it was impossible, he still didn’t want to let go. Seeing Grayson standing in the lobby in a daze, Ronin spoke up.

“Grayson, why are you still standing there like a fool? Boss and the others have already gone into the private room. I ordered a birthday cake for you. Chestnut flavor, by the way. You and Boss love it, don’t you? Hurry up and come!”

Grayson smiled. He thought Ronin was so lucky. If only he could be as simple as Ronin, who treated Catherine as nothing more than family.

He used to dislike everything with a chestnut flavor, but later, he knew that Catherine loved it. Slowly, the chestnut flavor became his favorite taste. There was only one reason-she liked it!

The next day, Catherine arrived at class, and as expected, she became the center of attention once again. The incident of Grayson’s concert yesterday quickly spread on the internet.

Although Grayson said it was gratitude, his tone was too ambiguous, and everyone was speculating about the relationship between Catherine and Grayson. Some even thought that Grayson liked Catherine.

Grayson was currently a popular idol, and posts containing rumors about him were joked about as “menstrual posts.” Basically, there would be a new post about him every month, indicating he was dating another woman.

However, time had proven that those rumors were all orchestrated by the women involved, just to gain attention. But this time was different. Grayson was the one who said those ambiguous words first. The fans didn’t know the truth, so various speculations spread all over the internet.

Catherine pulled out a chair and sat down, adjusting herself into a comfortable position, not paying attention to anyone. She exuded an aura that made people dare not approach her.

Although her classmates were curious, no one dared to ask Catherine directly. They could only secretly hide in the corners, observing her every move.

Liana was one of them, of course. She hated the sight of Catherine showing off in class, and now she only wanted to see Catherine in a sorry state.

Thinking of her mother’s instructions, Liana followed closely behind Catherine as Catherine walked out of the classroom.

“Catherine, stop!” she shouted, but her aggressive attitude didn’t make Catherine stop in her tracks. Liana stomped her foot in frustration. Catherine was walking so fast, making it difficult for Liana to catch up with her.

Unable to catch up, Liana had to use a different tone to call out to Catherine, Catherine, wait. I have something to tell you!”

This time, Catherine stopped in her tracks. She turned around, squinting her eyes and tilting her chin up. With her hands in her pockets, she stared at Liana.

Her rebellious and arrogant demeanor made Liana tremble with anger. Liana angrily questioned her, “You heard me calling you, didn’t you? Why didn’t you stop?”

Catherine, however, didn’t even say a word. Hearing Liana’s angry words, she turned around once again. Liana knew that Catherine was using her actions to threaten her. If she wanted to talk to Catherine, she had to follow Catherine’s rules and speak properly.

Liana stomped her foot in frustration, but there was nothing she could do. She knew how stubborn Catherine was, and for the sake of what was to come, she had to compromise, “Catherine, please stop. I have something to tell you!”

Although Liana’s tone had softened, Catherine still didn’t pay any attention to her. Watching Catherine walk further away, Liana could only apologize obediently, It’s my fault. I’m sorry, okay? I apologize for my behavior earlier.”

After she finished speaking, Catherine finally turned around, still in the same posture as before. With a cold gaze, she looked at Liana, expressionless.” What’s the matter?”

Liana didn’t want to say much to Catherine, but she had to complete her task.

“Catherine, everyone is going to Grandma’s house today. There will be a car picking us up after school, Remember not to be late!”

Seeing Catherine’s indifferent attitude, Liana couldn’t help but ask again, “Did you hear me?”

Without looking back, Catherine left, leaving Liana fuming with anger.

Chapter 278 Who Are You?

After school, Liana got into the car, but Catherine didn’t show up. She felt strange and worried, wondering what to do if Catherine didn’t appear. Just when she was about to get out of the car and go back to look for Catherine, Catherine suddenly appeared right in front of her.

Liana was annoyed. Catherine was always the first to leave the classroom, but today, she was so slow. Liana wondered if it was intentional, a way to anger her.

Thinking that Catherine might be deliberately trying to make things difficult for her, Liana became angry. She glared at Catherine with a dark expression and reprimanded, “Why did you take so long to come? Is it on purpose, just to embarrass me?”

Catherine looked at her coldly and asked in an indifferent voice, “Well, I can leave.”

If Liana kept bothering her like this, she didn’t feel like going. She wasn’t interested in going there in the first place.

If it weren’t for Audrey saying that she was also on her way to Grandma’s house, Catherine wouldn’t have planned on going.

Yesenia and Ronin wanted to go with Catherine, but she refused and managed to leave them behind, which delayed her a bit.

Facing Catherine’s icy expression, Liana almost choked on her own saliva. She truly didn’t understand why Catherine’s gaze could be so terrifying. Even when facing her angry father, she didn’t feel this sense of fear, but just one look from Catherine made her whole body shiver.

Liana silently closed her mouth, afraid to speak again. If Catherine decided not to go with her, all those efforts she had made would be for nothing.

Gradually, the coldness on Catherine’s face dissipated. She calmly sat in the car, adjusted herself into a comfortable position, and then reached out to pull down the brim of her hat.

Her small face was instantly covered. Liana also got in the car. As soon as she sat down, she kept her eyes on Catherine. Seeing Catherine remain unmoving, Liana softly called out, “Catherine… Catherine…”

The inside of the car was silent, and not a sound could be heard. Liana secretly rejoiced, a sinister smile appearing on her lips. She had been worried about finding an excuse, but now she didn’t need to find any.

The car continued to drive for a few more minutes when Liana suddenly said to the driver in front, “Bob, pull over for a moment. I just remembered that I forgot something. You guys go ahead. I’ll catch up later!”

The car pulled over to the side of the road, and Liana opened the door gently. After getting out of the car, Liana didn’t leave immediately. She stood still and glanced back, seeing that Catherine was still in a deep sleep. Only then did she feel relieved and walked away.

However, no one noticed that Catherine, who was supposedly asleep, moved slightly. The car continued to drive, silently moving forward without any sound. However, the road became steeper, and the car started to shake more violently.

The driver glanced discreetly through the rearview mirror and confirmed that Catherine was still sleeping, so he stopped the car with relief.

He slowly pushed open the car door and got out, checking the road conditions ahead. Ahead was a section of a broken bridge, which had been halfway constructed but was abandoned due to funding issues.

Accidents frequently occurred as cars unfamiliar with this section of the road would fall off the bridge, resulting in fatal accidents.

The car was about 6 feet away from the broken bridge. The driver tugged at his gloves. He had already released the handbrake. All he needed to do was push from behind the car, and it would fall down the bridge, shattering into pieces.

He had prepared some sleeping pills, and he didn’t expect the girl in the car to sleep like a corpse. It really made things easier for him.

A sinister glint flashed in the driver’s eyes. He slowly positioned himself behind the car and whispered in the direction of the car, “Don’t blame me for being ruthless. Blame yourself for blocking the way of the boss!”

He placed his hands on the car, preparing to push it towards the broken bridge. Just when he took a step forward, a heavy force landed on his shoulder.

The driver panicked, his breath stopping instantly. He slowly turned around and saw that stunning face and those incredibly terrifying eyes.

Catherine stared coldly at the driver, a hint of a smile appearing on her lips. She said, her voice soft but filled with a chilling dominance, “Surprised to see me?”

“You were pretending to be sleeping?” The driver frowned, staring at Catherine. He couldn’t believe that after so many years in this line of work, he had been fooled by a little girl.

“No!” Catherine coldly denied the driver’s statement. “I was really sleeping, but you made too much noise when you got out of the car and woke me up!”

The driver’s heart sank. He had thought he could do it quietly, but he didn’t expect the other party to wake up. He knew it was time to take action.

He slowly reached into his pocket, which contained a sleeping shot. As long as this needle was inserted into Catherine’s body, she would pass out within three seconds, no matter how strong she was.

Then, he would push the car off the broken bridge, creating a scene of the car catching fire from the outside, destroying all evidence and perfectly covering up his crimes.

The imagination was so beautiful, but when the driver was ready to act, he was dumbfounded. He reached into his pocket, only to find it empty. Watching his awkward actions, Catherine spread her hand in the air, asking, “Looking for this?”

There, on the palm of her hand, lay a syringe. The driver’s eyes widened, his face filled with horror and disbelief.

“How… How did you get it?”

Catherine chuckled coldly. “Humph…”

The bone-chilling laughter made the driver’s scalp tingle. He had been too confident, thinking that Catherine, a mere student, posed no danger. He didn’t even consider her a threat. Now, however, he suddenly realized that things weren’t as simple as they seemed!

Catherine could silently take the syringe from his pocket and stand behind him without making a sound. So, what if she had used the syringe on him instead of tapping his shoulder earlier?

He dared not imagine further…

The icy aura emanating from Catherine made him feel scared, and his mind went into chaos, with his terrified eyes fixed on her as he slowly backed away.

“Who… Who are you?” His trembling voice carried obvious fear, a manifestation of extreme terror.

As he retreated in panic, Catherine advanced step by step. With no way to retreat, he decided to fight to the death. He refused to believe that he couldn’t handle a girl with his skills.

He made a quick move, but Catherine seemed to have anticipated it in advance. She uttered three cold words. ” Go to hell!”

The next second, the outcome was decided.

Chapter 279 Roller Coasters

When the driver made a move, Catherine swiftly reached out and plunged the needle that the driver intended to insert into her body into his own. The driver tried to struggle, but his hand was firmly held by Catherine, unable to move an inch.

With a terrified look in his eyes, he stared at Catherine in disbelief. He couldn’t imagine that he would be defeated by a gentle and beautiful little girl.

The drug began to take effect. The driver began to lose consciousness, his vision fading to black. Catherine pushed him forcefully, causing his body to fall to the ground. Her expression remained cold and emotionless.

After the driver fell, two figures emerged from somewhere. Two men dressed in black stood behind Catherine, bowing their heads respectfully. One of the men in black knelt in front of Catherine, offering a towel.

“Boss, you can wipe your hands with this!”

Catherine took the towel and carefully wiped her hands. Then, she casually threw it onto the driver lying on the ground. Catherine lowered her gaze and coldly glanced at the driver, casually saying, Call an ambulance and throw him off!”

With a completely calm expression on her face, she said the harshest words. The two men in black received the order and replied without any hesitation, “Yes, Boss!”

Catherine stood in front of the car, gaze indifferent as she watched the driver being dragged into the car. She exuded a chilling aura, a formidable presence that no one could match. her Catherine was capable of committing the crime of murder.

Since the driver seemed to enjoy the thrill of “roller coasters” so much, she would let him experience the sensation of breaking every bone in his body.

She would arrange for an ambulance to be waiting below, ensuring that his life would be saved in the shortest possible time. He would survive, but he would suffer for the rest of his life. That was the price he had to pay!

The Langs’ house was brightly lit and unusually noisy at the moment. Today, Rachael returned home, accompanied by several children. The whole family was especially happy.

Johnathan was not around, so Liana was treated like a little princess by everyone, receiving their care and attention.

Liana was overjoyed. Everything she had been looking forward to had finally returned. Indeed, without Catherine, the world seemed to be a better place, and even the air felt sweeter.

Compared to Liana, Audrey had a somewhat troubled expression on her face. Her eyes were constantly focused on the front door.

The darker the day became, the more anxious Audrey felt in her heart. She couldn’t help but walk up to Liana, asking, “Liana, didn’t you say you came with Catherine? Why hasn’t she arrived yet?”

Liana had anticipated that Audrey would ask her this question. She wore a slightly impatient expression on her face, showing a look of disdain in her eyes. She couldn’t understand why Audrey was so close to Catherine. They had grown up together, but Audrey had never shown this much concern for her.

“How would I know? Didn’t I already tell you that I had to get off to get something? Catherine left before me. I know she hasn’t arrived, but what does it have to do with me?”

Liana’s tone was unpleasant, and Audrey felt angry after hearing it. After all, Catherine was still Liana’s sister. Now that they couldn’t reach Catherine, Audrey thought it was so mean of Liana to say such words.

She glared at Liana, her eyes filled with dissatisfaction. “How can you say that? Don’t you care about Catherine at all?”

“Why are you arguing?” Donna heard them arguing and slowly approached them. “I could hear you two arguing from far away. What’s going on?”

Liana reached out and hugged Donna’s arm, looking aggrieved. “Grandma, Audrey asked me where Catherine is. But I’m not a mind reader. How would I know? She got angry and yelled at me!”

“yell at her?” Audrey asked inwardly. ” When did I yell at her?”

Audrey looked at Liana in disbelief. Before she could even explain, Donna turned her head towards Audrey, her eyes filled with great displeasure. Audrey, how can you be so mean to Liana? You’ve grown up. Do you still need me to teach you how to care for your sister?”

Audrey felt a bit aggrieved, but she knew she couldn’t argue with her elders. She tried to calm herself down and explained, “Grandma, it’s not like that. I’m just worried about Catherine. She said she would come right after school, but she still hasn’t arrived.”

As Catherine was mentioned, Donna’s expression grew even darker. She didn’t like her at all.

“She just returned to Casier not long ago. She grew up in the countryside and has a wild temperament. Maybe she saw something interesting on the way and went off to explore it. There’s no need to make a big fuss about it. Why did you have to scold your sister like this?”

Liana stood by, watching Audrey being scolded with a smug smile on her face. But what made her happier was Catherine’s disappearance. Liana thought her days of happiness had returned.

Audrey couldn’t accept Donna’s reprimand. She thought that Donna had misunderstood Catherine, and she wanted to explain clearly.

“Grandma, it’s not like that. Kathy is very responsible and dependable. If she promises to do something, she will do it. I’m just worried that something might have happened to her. After all, she’s just a young girl, and it’s getting dark outside.”

Because of Audrey’s words, Donna’s face turned completely dark. She never expected Audrey to dare to argue with her. This was truly outrageous.

In the past, Audrey was extremely obedient. Although she was not as clever as Liana, she was still well- behaved. But after Catherine returned, Audrey changed. Donna didn’t believe it in the first place, but now she finally understood that Audrey had indeed changed.

Donna’s face instantly became gloomy, like a sky about to unleash a storm. She had a stern expression and coldly said to Audrey, “Since you’re so worried, then go out and find her yourself. Don’t make a fuss here. You have no manners at all. It seems that you’ve been corrupted by your job.”

Audrey knew that her decision to enter the entertainment industry had never been approved by her family. She thought that by constantly working hard and achieving some success, her family would support her choice. However, she never expected that they would still look down on her, believing that she was disgracing the family.

Audrey lowered her head, feeling heartbroken, and a chilling sensation crept over her mind, making her shiver.

The most terrifying thing was not the rumors and gossip from the outside world but the disdain from her loved ones. Although she was in great pain, she was more concerned about Catherine at the moment.

She lowered her voice, trying to hold back her emotions. “Grandma, I’ll go and find Catherine, then. I’ll come back later!”

No one tried to stop her. She just slowly turned around, ready to leave. Just when she was about to leave, a voice sounded.

“No need. I’m here!”

The cold voice shattered the silence in the room. Liana followed the direction of the voice, her jaw almost dropping in astonishment.

Chapter 280 She Has Returned

Liana looked in shock towards the direction of the door, unable to believe what she was seeing. “How is this possible?” she shrieked in her heart. “Why does Catherine appear here unharmed?”

Before Liana could fully comprehend the situation, their eyes met. Liana felt a suffocating sensation as if two invisible hands were choking her, making it difficult for her to breathe.

Liana couldn’t bear to meet Catherine’s gaze and cautiously lowered her head, avoiding eye contact. Catherine continued to observe Liana, taking note of her every move.

Seeing Liana’s guilty and timid behavior, Catherine smirked and walked straight into the house. Audrey approached Catherine, her eyes filled with concern. “Kathy, what’s going on? Why are you so late?”

Before Catherine could respond, a cold and elderly voice came from behind Audrey. “Well, I’ve never seen someone as arrogant as you, Catherine. You like to keep us waiting, huh?”

It was Donna, her face serious and full of disapproval towards Catherine. Audrey was taken aback, knowing that her grandmother was blaming Catherine for being late. She wanted to explain on Catherine’s behalf. Just then, Rachael entered the room.

As soon as Rachael saw Catherine standing in the living room, her face darkened. It seemed that she was shocked and surprised by Catherine’s presence.

“You… You’re…” Rachael stammered. Hearing this, everyone turned their heads. Audrey, at the moment, also found Rachael’s astonishment strange.

The calmest person in the room was Catherine herself. A sinister and eerie smile appeared on her face, making it difficult for one to meet her gaze.

Catherine took a step forward, protecting Audrey, and stared directly at Rachael. “My mom asked me to come. Anything wrong? Well… Could it be…”

Rachael immediately realized what Catherine meant and quickly regained her composure. She calmly looked at Catherine. In a somewhat urgent tone, she said, “You’re right. I did ask you to come. Liana arrived early, so I found it strange that you were so late.”

Catherine coldly surveyed Rachael. There was no need to guess who was plotting against her based on Rachael’s guilty reactions. It seemed that Liana might not be the mastermind but rather Korbin. Otherwise, Rachael wouldn’t have reacted like this.

However, Rachael looked quite composed. Catherine didn’t expect Rachael to throw a question back at her so quickly.

After Rachael finished speaking, Donna immediately answered her question.” Maybe she was playing around, and it delayed her arrival. How could she make us all wait for her? It’s so rude!”

Audrey looked worriedly at Catherine, not expecting Donna to scold Catherine in front of everyone. She watched Catherine cautiously, afraid that Catherine might throw a fit.

Facing these accusations, Catherine looked expressionlessly at Rachael. “I had an accident on the way here. The driver’s car broke down, so I took a taxi myself.”

Upon hearing Catherine’s explanation, Rachael suddenly understood. She hadn’t expected Catherine to be so lucky to escape unscathed. It seemed that she couldn’t get rid of Catherine for a while.

Donna, displeased with Catherine’s explanation, felt that Catherine was just making excuses. “How dare you…”

Before Donna could voice her reproach, Rachael interrupted, “Mom, let it go. She didn’t do it on purpose. Let’s go have some coffee. Forget about these impolite girls!”

Donna was then forcefully pulled into the back hall by Rachael. Seeing Rachael and Donna leave, Liana quickly followed. “Mommy, I’ll go too!”

Audrey and Catherine were left alone. Audrey seemed to be in a good mood, smiling at Catherine.

“Kathy, you see, Mom still cares about you. When Grandma scolded you, she immediately took her away to protect you!”

Looking at Audrey’s satisfied smile, Catherine snorted. Her voice was extremely cold as she asked, “Is that so?”

Audrey hesitated to respond. For no reason, she felt that Catherine’s attitude was cold, different from usual. Could it be that this situation wasn’t what Audrey had imagined?

Audrey wanted to ask again, but Catherine turned and walked out of the hall. “I need some fresh air!”

Just as Catherine stepped out of the door, her phone vibrated. She reached into her pocket and took out her phone, glancing at the caller ID before putting it to her ear.

A man’s elegant and deep voice came slowly. “Where are you?”

“At the Langs’.”

Catherine’s response sounded somewhat cold. Having long grown accustomed to her personality, Branden didn’t mind. It was not an easy task to make her willing to answer the phone, so why force anything else? As long as she was happy, she could treat him the way she liked.

“It’s about Johnathan. It wasn’t an accident.”

Catherine leaned against the wall, propping herself with one foot in a languid posture. Her eyes gazed into the vast darkness ahead, something profound flashing across her face.

“Do you know who was behind it?” she asked.

“Not certain yet, but it seems to be an inside job,” came the response. “The person was very meticulous and cleaned up all the traces. Only someone close to Johnathan could have done it so perfectly.”

Catherine nodded, finally understanding why Korbin suddenly turned against her and why Rachael accused her so vehemently in the hospital. It turned out that this couple had pinned Johnathan’s troubles on her.

“How ridiculous!” Catherine teased inwardly. “They’re truly overestimating themselves.”

After a long silence, Branden couldn’t help but initiate a conversation.

“How was your day today?”

“Nothing special.” Catherine’s voice was cold, suggesting that she didn’t want to talk much. Knowing her attitude, Branden didn’t intend to say much either. If she didn’t want to say much, then so be it.

“What time can you leave? Do you need me to pick you up?”

“I’ll let you know later,” Catherine replied. Without waiting for his response, she hung up the phone.

She never liked talking on the phone, so a conversation this long was a rare Occurrence, After being out for a while, Catherine put away her phone and prepared to go back. But as she turned around, she saw a tall figure standing behind her.

With a calm expression and a cold, piercing gaze, she asked, “Are you looking for me?”