Ch. 291..300

Chapter 291 His Savior

Due to Catherine’s schedule, the group of people who were supposed to leave early ended up starting their journey in the afternoon.

There was a knock on the door, and Audrey hurriedly went to open it. Upon opening the door, she saw Branden standing outside. She immediately stood up straight, behaving like a well- behaved elementary school student.

Branden glanced at her without saying a word, and Audrey, realizing this, quickly responded, “Mr. Duncan, Kathy is up. She should be ready soon.”

Audrey had woken up early to do her makeup and fix her hair before waking up Catherine. Just as she finished speaking, Catherine came out of the bathroom. Perhaps it was because she had just washed her face with hot water; her face still had a hint of warmth, making her look like a fairy stepping out of a dreamlike wonderland. She was so beautiful that it could take one’s breath away.

Not only men but even Audrey, a woman, was stunned. In her mind, only one word could describe Catherine’s beauty-stunning.

Catherine was now like an angel, gorgeous and full of vitality. However, she didn’t care about the envious looks of others. She had long been accustomed to receiving such attention from childhood to adulthood.

Catherine said softly, “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

Her cold voice snapped Audrey back to her senses. She exclaimed, “Wait for me. I’ll change my clothes right away!”

Catherine nodded slightly and walked to the door with her backpack. As she approached, Branden reached out and took the backpack from her. It was a light backpack, indicating that there wasn’t much inside.

“Is this all?” Branden raised an eyebrow and looked at her, his eyes filled with indiscernible emotions.

“Yeah, everything we need should be on the island, right?” Catherine asked. She believed that she didn’t need to bring too many things. After all, she wasn’t going to the wilderness.

They were going to the small island recently purchased by Triston, which was previously owned by a wealthy businessman who had invested in several luxurious projects on the island. The businessman went bankrupt due to some issues, leading him to sell the island to Triston.

The facilities on the island were well- equipped, and apart from the essentials she couldn’t do without, she didn’t need to bring much as everything would be available on the island.

Branden had personally come to pick them up, so Audrey didn’t want to keep them waiting. She quickly changed into an outfit and rushed out.

Audrey’s large suitcase seemed a bit exaggerated compared to Catherine’s small backpack. Audrey herself realized this and awkwardly scratched her head, looking at everyone.

“Did I bring too much? Should I take some things back?”

Catherine was aware of Audrey’s situation. Audrey used to be a beauty blogger, and every time she went out, she would bring a large amount of makeup and clothes, take pictures of her outfits, and upload them to the internet.

Over time, this habit of bringing many things with her when going out became ingrained, even for short vacations. Even when going to a small island, not for wilderness survival, she would still bring everything she liked.

“No worries. Just bring it all!” Catherine answered. Audrey immediately withdrew her hand that was about to open the suitcase. She wasn’t sure what she could bear to part with if she really had to throw things away. It felt like everything inside was what she had to bring.

After Catherine finished speaking, Branden glanced at Paxton beside him. Paxton respectfully stepped forward and approached Audrey.

“No worries, Miss Swann. I’ll carry it for you!”

“Thank you!” Audrey smiled slightly and politely handed over her luggage. This was Paxton, Branden’s assistant, and he was personally carrying her luggage.

This was amazing. Indeed, being able to rely on a big shot was pure happiness. And most importantly, the big shot was her sister. It couldn’t get any better than that.

Just thinking about it made Audrey happy. Upon arriving at the destination, Audrey realized that there were more people going on this trip than just them. Nervously, Audrey approached Catherine and asked in a low voice, ” Why are there so many people?”

Catherine looked up slightly, peering through the brim of her hat, and saw familiar faces. Ronin and Bryan were here as well, happily greeting her.

“Hey, Boss!”

“Hello, Super Catherine!” said Yesenia. Catherine didn’t respond but glanced at them briefly. Then, she lowered her head again.

Triston felt an intimidating gaze scanning him. He instinctively looked up and met Branden’s icy eyes, almost causing him to tremble in fear. Branden furrowed his brows slightly, and Triston knew his doomsday was approaching. Before the doomsday came, Triston planned to make one last struggle.

Triston smiled apologetically and looked at Branden, carefully saying, ” It’ll be more fun with more people. I don’t know who spread the news that I bought an island, and everyone told me they wanted to come and see it. I’m a generous person. I can fulfill this little request, right?”

Who else could it be? Apart from Triston, who always boasted, who else would actively spread the news?

Everyone present knew Triston’s plan. His explanation was highly unconvincing. He nervously swallowed, worried that Branden would kill him on the spot. Suddenly, Catherine spoke up.

“Let’s board the ship first. It’s windy!”

Branden’s expression immediately changed. He grabbed Catherine’s hand and walked onto the ship. Aidan, who was silently worried about Triston, walked up to him and patted his shoulder, teasing, “Congratulations to Mr. Lambert for escaping a disaster!”

Triston secretly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. “Catherine is really awesome!”

Just a simple sentence of hers could make Branden change his mind. Perhaps she was the only one in Casier who could do this. Triston had made up his mind. In the future, he would worship Catherine every day. She was his savior!

There were billions of people in the world. God blessed all living beings and didn’t have time to care about him. Triston saw Audrey still standing by the side and started teasing her.

“Audrey, is your luggage heavy? Do you want me to help you?”

Audrey rolled her eyes at Triston. She had no idea that this island had any connection to him.

To block the news about this playboy, she had even unfollowed Triston on social media. If she had known earlier that this playboy was the one who bought the island, she wouldn’t have come!

Angry, she coldly snorted at Triston and walked past him without even giving him a second glance. Aidan rubbed his chin, observing Triston.

“What’s the matter? Did you offend Audrey? Although the Swanns don’t favor her, she is Catherine’s sister. She might become Mr. Duncan’s future sister-in-law. Can you afford to offend her?”

Could he afford to offend her? What a joke! He couldn’t afford it, of course! He wasn’t stupid. Why would he offend Audrey for no reason?

The ship hadn’t yet set sail, and Triston had already received two cold glares. He had his dignity!

Triston grumbled discontentedly at Aidan, “Get lost. Stop bothering me!”

Chapter 292 Is He Wealthy?

The previous island owner had done a great job in planning the island, and the facilities on the island were exceptionally well-equipped.

They arrived at the shore on a private yacht, where a butler personally came to greet them, and the rooms were arranged perfectly. Everyone would spend a pleasant day and night on the ship.

After the butler introduced the basic facilities to everyone, Aidan couldn’t help but praise Triston, “Well done, my boy! This time, you hit the jackpot, a deal that’s guaranteed to make a profit!

When Triston announced that he had bought the island, many people thought he was taking over something that no one else wanted. Now, it seemed that if it weren’t for the previous buyer’s urgent need for money, Triston wouldn’t have gotten such a good deal.

Although Casier was highly developed economically, land resources were limited. Most of the available land had been used for building tall buildings and real estate development, with very few opportunities like this unique vacation resource.

The distance between this island and Casier wasn’t too far, and the island had beautiful scenery and well- equipped facilities. It would definitely be highly sought after if used as a private vacation area. With the island’s stunning scenery and the Lamberts’ resources, it would be easy to make money.

People mocked Triston for being a spendthrift but didn’t know that this young man had excellent business acumen. It was just that Branden often overshadowed him..

Not only Aidan but others also thought the island was fantastic. Suddenly, Ronin approached Catherine and asked seriously, “Boss, do you also like this kind of island? How about I buy one, too, so you can have another vacation spot.”

Everyone was shocked and looked at Ronin. This was a private island, not a toy. It seemed too casual to say he would buy one.

Initially, they thought it was just a joke from Ronin, but they didn’t expect Catherine to nod seriously and say, Sounds like a good idea!”

With Catherine’s agreement, Ronin was especially happy. A bright smile appeared on his face as he said, “Thank you, Boss. I’ll take care of it!”

Although Catherine responded everyone still found it strange, especially Yesenia, who couldn’t help but ask Ronin, “Ronin, do you know how much it costs to buy an island?”

Yesenia voiced the thoughts of everyone present. They all thought that maybe Ronin, being young, was too naive, so he spoke arrogantly-buying an island just to please Catherine seemed like a joke.

Ronin responded casually, completely disregarding Yesenia’s disbelief, “For this kind of island, if there’s no specific purpose or planning, it would cost ten to twenty million dollars.”

It would cost ten to twenty million dollars? What big talk. Yesenia wanted to retort. But then, Ronin continued, “Buying the island is easy, but the facilities on the island would cost a lot more. It would take hundreds of millions of dollars for this island alone to get everything done!

“Oh, so you do know about it!” Yesenia couldn’t help but exclaim.

“Hmph!” Ronin snorted, not bothering to respond to Yesenia. The others were shocked by Ronin’s attitude toward buying an island. He seemed more relaxed about it than buying groceries. Audrey quietly approached Catherine and asked in a low voice, “Kathy, is Ronin’s family very wealthy?”

How could he casually talk about buying an island if they weren’t particularly wealthy?

While Audrey was asking the question, Catherine’s brain, like a Supercomputer quickly calculated and added up the possible wealth Ronin could have acquired over the years. With the final number in her mind, Catherine nodded at Audrey, agreeing with her statement.

“Yeah. Buying a small island is easy for him.”

Audrey looked at Catherine in shock, believing that Catherine wouldn’t lie. “Doesn’t this prove that Ronin is really wealthy?” she asked inwardly. “Could he be some prince or something?

Ignoring everyone’s speculation, Ronin, with only Catherine in his eyes, perfectly embodied the image of a small assistant.

Triston noticed that everyone was focused on the island purchase issue, so he took the initiative to speak up, diverting the topic and shifting everyone’s attention.

“Whether you buy the island or not, I, Triston Lambert, can guarantee that as long as this island is under my name, all the facilities on the island will be free for everyone present.”

Aidan, who always liked teasing Triston, thought of something and said, “Alright, stop showing off. Triston, what are your plans? Can you tell us right now?”

Triston looked at Aidan with disdain. ” You’re so nosy. Aren’t we just waiting to go to our rooms, rest, and then come out to have fun? I’ve prepared beach volleyball, barbecue, jet skis, all of it.. What else could you possibly want?”

Aidan was tired of playing the same games over and over again.

“Tsk.” He scoffed, giving Triston a cold glance. Branden took the initiative to help Catherine pick up her backpack and whispered in her ear, “Shall I escort you back to your room?”

Catherine was completely sprawled out on the couch, like a lazy sloth. After Branden finished speaking, Catherine slowly got up and nodded at him, following behind him.

Watching the two of them leave, Ronin felt a bit sad. He didn’t expect that even something as simple as carrying a bag would be snatched by another man. He was just a second too slow, and now he had no chance.

With Catherine gone, Ronin and Bryan lost interest and went to their rooms with their belongings. The others followed suit, leaving only Triston still enjoying himself.

“Hey, why is everyone leaving? You can tell me if you’re not satisfied with the activities I arranged.”

Hearing the shouting and screaming behind her, Audrey turned around and made a face at Triston.

“Shut up, Island Owner!”

Triston silently touched his nose. Why did he feel such resentment from Audrey? When did he offend this girl? He had no idea.

Branden escorted Catherine to her room. To please her, Triston arranged her room next to Branden’s, with an unobstructed 180-degree ocean view. The view was truly breathtaking.

After helping Catherine settle her luggage, Branden casually sat on the couch in the room. With one hand supporting his chin, his eyes gently gazed in Catherine’s direction.

“Rest first, or eat first?”

On the way there, Catherine had eaten some pastries prepared by Audrey, so she wasn’t hungry. The scenery here was beautiful, full of sunshine but not too hot, making it perfect for a vacation.

The warm sun shining on her made her feel drowsy, and she just wanted to lie down and rest, not wanting to move.

“I’m not hungry!” Catherine responded to Branden. Branden didn’t insist and agreed with Catherine’s decision. “Sure!”

Chapter 293 Prawn Peeling Competition

Catherine pushed open the huge floor- to-ceiling windows, revealing a small flatland with a row of lounge chairs next to it. She found a thin blanket and covered herself with it, lazily leaning back on the chair, basking in the sunlight.

Seeing her relaxing so comfortably, Branden joined her on the lounge chair. The afternoon sun wasn’t as intense. It only brought warmth when it touched their bodies, without any stinging sensation. Triston and the others had finished placing their luggage and gathered in the lobby as planned.

Everyone else had arrived, but Catherine and Branden were nowhere to be seen for a long time. This made the rest of them feel a bit strange, especially Triston, who was the host.

He raised an eyebrow, smiling wickedly at the others around him. “Well, could the two big shots be having a date, leaving us here?”

Just as he finished speaking, Ronin was the first to confront Triston. “Stop talking nonsense, or I’ll tear your mouth apart. Our boss would never do something like that!”

That serious look on Ronin’s face made Triston not dare to underestimate him. Ronin usually appeared like a harmless boy, but when he got serious, he was far more ruthless than others.

Anything related to Catherine was a sensitive topic for him, and it was best not to provoke him! Triston shut his mouth, and Yesenia suddenly became excited.

“Oh, I know what Super Catherine and my uncle are doing. Check the group chat, guys.”

Before they set off, Aidan specially arranged a group chat. Everyone was in the group chat except Branden. The reason for not including Branden was that everyone felt that he was unpredictable, and his temper was difficult to gauge.

Without Branden in the group chat, they could speak more freely. Upon hearing Yesenia’s words, everyone immediately took out their phones and opened the WhatsApp group chat.

They were immediately drawn to a photo that Yesenia had just sent in the group chat. The image in the photo was extremely beautiful.

The sea was crystal blue. The beach shone like gold. And two people were resting on a white beach chair. Yesenia captured the perfect moment of the two of them sunbathing. The combination of a handsome man and a beautiful woman was truly eye- catching.

If it weren’t for the evidence being right in front of them, it would be hard for anyone to believe that such a beautiful photo was taken sneakily and not by a professional photographer for a magazine cover.

Indeed, even a casual snapshot can be turned into a masterpiece when someone looks good. Aidan gave a thumbs-up to Yesenia, saying, “Impressive, Yesenia. You managed to capture such an amazing photo,”

Who would dare to take photos of Branden secretly? Unless they wanted to have a long and painful death in various ways, perhaps. Yesenia was lucky. Her room was just one floor above Catherine’s.

At that time, Yesenia just wanted to enjoy the view from the balcony, but little did she know that she would see such a breathtaking scene. And she naturally wanted to capture it to share with her friends.

Ronin glanced at the photo and felt relieved. His boss was just resting, not abandoning them to have fun.

Seeing everyone discussing Catherine’s photo, Ronin became a bit angry. “Boss works so hard every day. What’s wrong with her taking a break? How can you all complain like this? Seriously, you guys should return to your rooms and rest!”

Except for Triston and Aidan, who were still excited, the rest of them just wanted to rest. They had gone to the island for a vacation, but it ended up with each of them sunbathing in their rooms.

Triston was so angry that he stomped his foot, complaining that everyone was not following the island owner’s arrangements.

By the time the sun was about to set, Catherine slowly woke up. When she opened her eyes, it was dim all around her. She looked closely and realized that there was a parasol above her. No wonder she didn’t feel anything after sunbathing all afternoon, and she had slept so comfortably.

“Are you awake?”

A gentle voice reached Catherine’s ears, diverting her attention. She turned and saw Branden standing beside her with one hand casually in his pocket.

He stood against the sunlight, enveloped in a golden glow. The intense sunset made it difficult to see his facial expression, but it perfectly outlined his well-built features, making him charming and captivating.

As their eyes met, Catherine’s cool gaze was like a clear spring, slowly flowing into Branden’s heart, nourishing his entire being.

After a moment, Branden snapped out of it. Even he found it somewhat miraculous that every time he locked eyes with Catherine, his thoughts would drift away. It seemed that her eyes had a magical power that drew him in.

He reached out and gently stroked Catherine’s head twice.

“Shall we go eat?”

After sleeping for so long, Catherine was indeed feeling hungry. Now that she was refreshed, she needed to fill her stomach and show off her vitality. Branden’s hand was still resting on her head as Catherine nodded slightly in response.

Seeing her in her current state, Branden’s heart softened. He took her hand and said tenderly, “Let’s go. I’ll take you to eat!”

The rest of the group finally saw Catherine and Branden. The previously listless group of people became excited when they saw Catherine. They rushed over as if they had taken an adrenaline shot.

“Boss!”

“Super Catherine!”

Triston, who was sitting on the side, was dumbfounded. His eyes widened, and he looked at Aidan beside him in astonishment.

“Are they under some spell? Why are they all acting like they’re in the terminal stage of an incurable disease?”

Aidan gave him a disdainful look and whispered, “Shut up!”

Catherine had a certain charm to her. As long as she was willing to let her guard down and interact with someone, her charm would attract them and make them worship her like a deity.

Aidan didn’t know this before, but he gradually began to understand as he watched Bryan and Yesenia fall for her one by one.

They didn’t idolize Catherine as much now because Catherine had no intention of communicating with them at all.

He could guarantee that they would be just like Bryan if Catherine gave even the slightest signal. In Triston’s words, they would all be ” under the spell.”

Dining on the island naturally revolved around seafood. Fresh seafood was caught from the sea and cooked simply, resulting in a perfect flavor.

Without excessive seasoning, the deliciousness of the seafood alone was enough to conquer everyone’s stomach. Audrey took a short video, posted it on her blog, and added a praise-filled caption.

Setting down her phone, Audrey noticed that the newly arrived prawns looked particularly fresh. She wanted to peel some for Catherine.

Catherine was different from others. She loved eating seafood but hated peeling it. Catherine refused to touch anything that required manual labor.

Audrey had just peeled one prawn when she turned her head and saw that both of Catherine’s plates were full of various freshly peeled seafood, each perfectly intact, showing the dedication of the peelers.

Audrey glanced around and saw that some of the seafood was peeled by Ronin and some by Branden. These two seemed to be competing secretly, not caring whether Catherine could finish it all, and each one was peeling more enthusiastically than the other.

Audrey silently swallowed and stuffed the messy prawn meat she had peeled into her mouth.

It seemed that she was destined to be unnecessary here.

Chapter 294 Tell the Sea What to Do

Triston suggested playing games together after dinner, but Audrey refused. Triston was enraged and roared, “Why do you come here if you don’t want to have fun together? Just looking for another place to sleep?”

Audrey’s face darkened after being scolded in public. She glowered at Triston coldly. “Yeah, I’m just here to sleep. So what? You’ve gone too far. Why don’t you mind your business?”

“You bought the island but didn’t buy the sea, alright? How about you tell the sea what to do?”

“You!” Triston was even more furious. She said that he had gone too far in such a sarcastic tone! Did he push things too far and dwell too deeply on it?

Wasn’t he trying to be a good host since he had invited them to his island? Audrey saw Triston at a loss for words in his fury and stood up to leave the table. “I’m all set. I’m going to have a rest. Enjoy yourselves.”

The crowd finally dared to continue chatting only when Audrey was out of sight. Aidan looked at Triston curiously and asked, “Hey, what have you done to offend Audrey? She’s nice to the rest of us. Why would she stare at you like you’re a jerk who has abandoned your family? She seems to wish to tear you apart?”

“How would I know? She has probably been worn out by her acting job and has her menopause in advance,” Triston said angrily.

The rest dared not speak. They could tell that Audrey treated Triston differently from the others. Triston was sometimes unreliable, but he was so great to his friends.

No one had any idea what was going on between Audrey and Triston. Only Audrey and Triston know why she was so rude to him. Most of the rest looked normal and did not take the episode to heart.

Only Catherine raised her brows and glanced at Branden next to her. Branden nodded slightly, and Catherine stood up, walking toward where Audrey had headed. Noticing Catherine was leaving, Ronin shouted anxiously, “Boss, where are you going?”

He was about to stand up when a force on his shoulder readily pinned him down on the chair. Ronin wanted to wrestle with the force. He did not believe he could not beat only one hand with all his strength. A few minutes later, Ronin gave up quietly.

He extruded all his strength, but the hand on his shoulder was still motionless. Ronin’s face was already red, which was embarrassing.

Ronin turned his head sideways and met the eyes of the owner of the hand. His eyes skipped a beat. He never knew anyone’s gaze and aura could be more terrifying than his boss’s. He softened instantly and admitted his defeat.

The rest of the crowd watched them battle silently at the side. They were not surprised by such a result. What attracted them was Ronin’s reaction. Compared to the boring games, the battle between Ronin and Branden was way more interesting.

When Catherine found Audrey, the latter was lying on a recliner in the lounge. Sensing the appearance of Catherine, Audrey became somewhat flustered. She hurriedly stood up from the recliner and walked to Catherine.

“Kathy, why are you here?” Audrey looked at Catherine with a furrowed brow. She seemed to be in a bad mood. Kathy, you didn’t come here because you were worried about me, right?”

“Did Triston offend you?” asked Catherine straightforwardly, leaving no time for Audrey to react. Audrey did not expect that. She lowered her head in silence, gutless to look into Catherine’s eyes.

“He didn’t. It’s just… I don’t like him.”

“Is that so?” Catherine said coldly, drawing out the final sound. Audrey panicked right away. She did not know why, but she had no way to lie in front of Catherine.

She did not have the nerve to even think about lying to Catherine. All she could do was to avoid speaking and looking at Catherine.

Catherine could tell from Audrey’s posture that she did not want to discuss it. Everyone had the right to protect their privacy. Since Audrey refused to continue the topic, Catherine would not force her.

“If you need help, you know where to find me. Catherine left after saying that, leaving the area to Audrey. Audrey was staring at Catherine’s retreating figure and was rapt in admiration.

She did not understand how Catherine could form such an imposing manner under her thin figure. She felt a strong sense of security with Catherine around her.

In her heart, Catherine was more like an elder sister to her than she was to Catherine. Audrey fixed her gaze on Catherine’s back and opened her mouth. She said silently, “Thank you.”

The one-day vacation passed in the blink of an eye. The following noon, after lunch, the group decided to make a return voyage.

Catherine had something on and did not want to leave with the crowd, so she planned to go ahead on her own. When she reached the ship, she realized the captain had changed. It was Branden waiting for her onboard.

The two smiled at each other, and Branden reached his hand to her. Catherine held his hand and jumped nimbly onto the deck.

“How did you know I was leaving earlier?” asked Catherine. Branden tilted his head and beamed at her but did not answer her question. He had his way to figure it out if he wanted.

Under Johnathan’s strong insistence, Rachael allowed him to recuperate at home. Just as Rachael left home, Johnathan could not bear to wait any longer and contacted Dayton. He rolled his wheelchair and left the house.

Dayton had been spying on Catherine’s every move as Johnathan had told him to. “Dude, are you sure Catherine will show up here?”

Facing Johnathan’s question, Dayton nodded without hesitation. “Mr. Johnathan, trust me. I’ve investigated everything. Catherine had a great time on the island and will return today. We only need to stay here waiting for her.”

Since Dayton was so sure, Johnathan only had to take his word for it. Dayton was still unassured and asked Johnathan one last time, “Mr. Johnathan, are you sure you want to do this? No matter what, Catherine is more or less related to you through blood.”

There was a flash of viciousness on Johnathan’s face, “If I am merciful, who would be the one to pay the price for my leg?”

Even though his parents dared not tell him the truth, Johnathan already knew it. His leg would be healed without a doubt, but there was no hope for it to return to its former condition.

The doctor even suggested he avoid intensive sports in the coming few years. It was equal to a notification telling him that he was disabled. It was all because of Catherine, the jinx. He was dying for Catherine to pay the price.

“Cut your crap. Do it if you’re my bro.”

Seeing Johnathan’s determined face, Dayton decided to do it. Dayton usually fooled around and had made some friends with some gangsters. He had his means for acts of revenge.

Otherwise, Dayton would not have been the first to pop into Johnathan’s mind after the incident. A few more minutes later, Johnathan started to lose his patience and wanted to ask Dayton what had gone wrong.

Yet, Dayton shouted thrillingly at him, “Mr. Johnathan, look! Their ship is coming.”

The dock was exclusive and not for business, so few ships anchored there. Therefore, it might have been the ship Catherine was on.

Johnathan watched as the ship came toward them, and his face revealed a hint of excitement. He patted on Dayton’s shoulder.

“Dude, now it’s up to you.”

Chapter 295 Have a Flat Tire

Branden took Catherine’s hand and led her down the ship. Paxton was not with them, so Branden planned to drive himself.

Their cars were all parked at the parking lot by the shore before they headed to the island. Catherine peeked at Branden and noticed the dark circles under his eyes. She said casually, “I’ll drive.”

Branden did not object to it. He was glad that Catherine was thoughtful and cared about him. “Okay,” he replied softly and handed the car key to Catherine. Catherine had masterful driving skills.

After they got into the car, Catherine started the engine quickly and drove away. The dock was remote, and they did not meet many cars or passengers, so Catherine drove speedily.

When driving past a ditch, the car shook violently and hit the side uncontrollably.

“We have a flat tire,” Catherine said sternly.

It was an emergency, but Catherine was calm and unaffected by it. Yet, her cold eyes darkened a little, and she sneered. The accident caused the car to rush toward the guardrails out of control.

They were in the mountainous region. If the car broke through the guardrails, they might fall from the mountain. On the other side was the precipice. At such a fast speed, the car would crash, and they would die if the car hit it.

There was no time for Catherine to think. She could only try to lower the damage to the minimum level when confronting such an accident. They had an unexpected flat tire while driving at high speed.

Even an experienced driver who had been driving for decades could not handle it perfectly. It was inevitable to get hurt. All she could do was to reduce the damage and not get themselves killed.

Catherine turned the steering wheel like crazy and drove toward the cliff’s edge. Before the car hit the edge of the cliff, Catherine turned the steering wheel at full speed again.

She drove the car into the ditch between the cliff’s edge and the highway, consistently exerting effort to steer it uphill, intensifying the resistance.

The car slowed down and came to a halt under such pressure and braking. Catherine avoided a disaster perfectly and ensured the safety of Branden and herself.

Catherine looked at the seat next to her when the car was stationary. In the passenger seat, Branden was leaning his elbow against the window.

The bright eyes on his handsome face were staring at her fixedly. In his eyes, Catherine saw no fear or panic but intriguing oddness. Catherine wore a faint smile and sized Branden up. She let out a low and hoarse laughter.

“You’re not afraid?”

Hearing her question, Branden looked at her and raised his eyebrow, teasing, Why would I be since you’re with me?”

The simple words showed his deep faith in Catherine. It was almost impossible for Branden to trust someone with his family background and current status.

It was not easy for him to trust Catherine with his life. Their eyes locked for a few seconds, and Catherine averted his first.

“Get off and check things out.”

With that, Catherine pushed the car door open and got off. Branden followed suit, as obedient as a wonderful husband. White smoke seeped out of the car hood. The unconventional driving had damaged the vehicle.

Fortunately, the car’s high performance was crucial in avoiding a catastrophe. Catherine scanned the four tires and instantly knew what was going on. She tilted her head to eye Branden, and the latter realized what had happened.

The four tires were all slashed to some extent, and they noticed that some still had nails embedded, evidently used to puncture the tires intentionally.

The specialized nails were triangle shapes and could even pop the best run -flat tires. The fact spoke for itself. It was not an accident, but some people wanted them dead. Unsurprisingly, a group of people revealed themselves and surrounded them soon after..

They all wore masks and held weapons. Dayton never thought that Catherine could find a way to avoid the car crash under his elaborate plan.

He could only deem that Catherine escaped the doom out of her good luck. Nonetheless, she would not leave unharmed even if she was the Goddess of Luck.

Since Dayton had promised Johnathan to teach Catherine a great lesson, he must get it done. Dayton called his men to gather there. He had heard that Catherine was quite agile and capable of fighting.

Catherine was raised in the countryside, and it was normal for her to be nimble. To make his plan foolproof, Dayton had arranged for a dozen hired thugs to do that.

They were gangsters who were merciless and had no qualms about killing. It was a piece of cake for them to get rid of a bumpkin like Catherine.

Catherine looked around at the thugs and was indifferent. She did not take the aggressive and lethal men to heart. With her hands in her pockets, she took a small step back.

Her lower back met a palm that was supporting her like a powerful force. Catherine had never had such a feeling before. It was unusual and weird, but she did not hate it.

She had been alone for too many years. She had dealt with even trickier problems by herself. It was the first time she had someone behind her back, supporting her.

The weird feeling only existed briefly, and Catherine regained her usual sedateness. She ran her eyes over the masked men in front of her in insouciance. “How about you tell us who your target is first?”

She could decide what to do with the enemies if she knew who they were targeting. The leading masked man did not expect Catherine to be so calm. He felt excessively uncanny, sensing the terrifying aura on her.

He could tell the man with a grim look behind her was even more dangerous. The leading masked man might be scared if he came alone. However, he was now with a dozen buddies. In other words, why would he be terrified since there was safety in numbers?

He waved the baseball bat in his hand and pointed at Catherine.

“Enough of your nonsense. Kneel and let me break your legs. Otherwise, I’ll kill you.”

The order he received was to kill them both, but the leading masked man did not want to have more blood on his hands. He decided to break Catherine’s legs to finish the mission. Catherine smiled. Her chin lifted a bit and showed her wonderful jawline. Her red and thin lips moved up.

She turned her head at Branden and laughed, “It seems I’m the one they want.”

Branden gave a slight nod, and his deep eyes never left Catherine.

By tacit agreement, they knew what the other was thinking. The leading masked man saw them gazing at each other and was annoyed. He ranted, “How dare you two ignore me?

“I’ll just fucking kill you both.”

Chapter 296 Does She Agree?

The group of thugs surrounded Catherine. They sprang upon her and attacked her. The first action Catherine took was to push Branden behind her abruptly away.

Her movement was precise and pushed Branden out of the surrounding circle. Since those men were after her, she would handle them herself. Branden’s brows slightly furrowed when Catherine pushed him away.

He watched as Catherine punched out and hit a man to the ground agilely, and there was a hint of resignation in his pretty eyes.

His girlfriend was too capable, leaving no chance for him to protect her. How he wished he could do something for her!

The thugs closed in upon her again, all having weapons in their hands. They had thought it would be a snap to take down Catherine. Yet, one of them was down first, and they did not even see how Catherine made her move.

Catherine had planned to punch them with her bare hands. She felt a slight sting in her palm when she clenched her fists. She lowered her eyes and saw the bright red nail polish on her fingers.

Audrey had applied the nail polish for her. She said Catherine never dolled up and barely wore dresses. She insisted on painting Catherine’s nails, claiming to let Catherine feel what it was like to be a young lady.

The scene of Audrey’s focused and earnest look when she did it for her popped into Catherine’s mind, and she suddenly did not want to destroy her nail polish. She raised her leg and kicked a tall man hard down to the ground again.

The incredible impact caused the tall man to fall in pain and dizziness. He had no time to see how Catherine attacked him. When he regained his senses, all he knew was that he was already on the ground.

After taking down the tall guy, Catherine took the baseball bat from his hand. She glanced coldly around the scumbags, who were afraid of her, but still did not give up trying to strike her.

Catherine stood with her legs separated. She squinted at the enemies, and a hint of an evil smile played on her lips. At first, she planned to play with the crowd of scumbags, but now she changed her mind. She only wanted a quick victory.

Those guys could only blame their fate. They happened to provoke her when she was in a bad mood. She raised the baseball bat and waved it at the crowd. She said in a low and hoarse voice, “Come on. All of you.”

The faces of the men in the mask changed dramatically because of Catherine’s arrogant attitude. Even through the disguises, Catherine could tell they were scared.

The former imperiousness in their eyes turned to awe and uncertainty. Some of them even wanted to retreat. It was already horrifying when only Catherine was fighting them. What if the man with Catherine joined the fight?

A short man standing behind the leading masked man approached him and muttered, “Boss, it doesn’t seem right. How about we retreat? This girl is not that simple. She’s scary.”

The short man said in a low voice, but Catherine had sharp hearing and heard all his words. They wanted to leave?

Did she agree with that?

She did not, nor would she allow them to. They needed to pay the price if they had the guts to screw with her. Catherine did not waste her words on them anymore. She flung the baseball bat in her hand at the short man.

The baseball bat smashed at the short man’s head accurately. After an excruciating shriek, the short man hit the ground and passed out. The rest of the crowd was stupefied. Catherine’s throwing was incredibly precise.

One would never have had such outstanding wrist power and accuracy without practicing for over ten years. Under the crowd’s frightened gaze, Catherine made her move again.

She gave no chance for the foes to retreat. She held the baseball bat again and hit her enemies by their crucial points.

For a moment, there was an ebb and flow of squeals. The leading masked man was in mortal terror. He hid aside in a fluster and waited for the right moment.

He thought it was his chance when he saw Catherine giving a big guy a thrashing. He sneaked to Catherine’s back and was about to give her a lethal attack.

Once he hit her with the bat, Catherine would go down even if she was Iron Woman. The man was smug about his plan. Unexpectedly, a great force came from behind him.

A mysterious force hit the back of his head instantly. He only felt a sharp pain. Without time to figure out what had hit him, he fell and became unconscious.

Branden surveyed the masked man coldly with his eyes. He would have ended the guy’s life if it were not for Catherine stopping him. The fool actually considered a sneak attack on Catherine. Did he forget that she was not alone?

Branden stood up straight and walked toward Catherine unhurriedly. When walking past the masked man, Branden deliberately stepped on his body.

Branden’s first step was on the man’s face precisely, and the shape of the man’s face was changed. His nose was crooked and broken.

Catherine held the baseball bat that dragged along the ground and slowly walked toward the last man standing.

She was like an ancient behemoth approaching the man. She did nothing yet, but the man opposite her was already scared out of his wits under her gaze. With a plop, he knelt before Catherine and begged for forgiveness.

“Madam. My Lady. I’m sorry. I should not do this. Please spare me. I’m begging you. I’m so sorry. Let me go…”

Catherine only narrowed her eyes at him. Other than disdain, there was only indifference in her eyes. If apologies worked for every wrong deed, why would the world need police?

Another loud bang sounded. The baseball bat was raised and waved, and the last man standing collapsed. Catherine threw the baseball bat away casually, and it made a piercing sound.

Her pretty face remained expressionless throughout the whole process. She did not even knit her brows for a second. After dealing with the crowd, she turned around and was about to leave.

When she turned, she noticed Branden, who had been watching from the side, already standing behind her. Catherine looked up and met his eyes, and there was still killing intent in her eyes that had not yet faded away.

Branden’s eyes were always bright and filled with affection when they were on Catherine. He took Catherine’s hand gently, took a handkerchief from his pocket, and wiped Catherine’s palm tenderly.

It was an expensive handkerchief, and Branden used it to clean Catherine’s palm carefully. When Branden did it, he was as focused and earnest as if cleaning something he cherished most.

Catherine followed Branden’s gaze and finally noticed a yellow smear on her wrist. The smear might be iron rust, judging from its color. The group of thugs did not seem like well-trained robbers. They were probably just some casual gangsters, so they took whatever weapons by hand.

Catherine believed the smear was caused by her holding the baseball bat. It was inconspicuous, and she did not expect Branden to be so attentive and notice it.

Chapter 297 I’ll Mourn Him

The police station was in the suburbs, a district known for its law and order. Generally, few people would call the police or report cases, and the police officers there were under a little less pressure.

However, that day, the police station could be considered crowded. All kinds of noises and screams echoed, and the outsiders might think that something terrible was happening.

Paxton was going through the procedures. The police officers who took statements noticed Paxton’s extraordinary aura. They thought, “The man and woman sitting aside must be from prestigious families. I can tell it from a glance.

“Although they are still young, they are already so good-looking, not inferior to those movie stars.”

The one who called the police was a driver. He passed the tunnel and witnessed the affray. According to his narration, the police arranged for two patrol cars to head to the scene.

Unexpectedly, those who fought weren’t brought back to the police station by the two patrol cars but were sent to the hospital by a dozen ambulances. Paxton received a call and rushed to the police station after the fight.

The police officer on duty looked up at Paxton and said politely, “The witness told us that the girl in a black hoodie was also involved. We’d like to take her statement. He was referring to Catherine.

Without Branden’s order, Paxton dared not to allow others to disturb Catherine. Just as he was about to refuse the police officer, Catherine stood up and walked over.

Since the police were fulfilling their duty, Catherine had no intention of causing them trouble. As she approached, Paxton bowed respectfully to her and then got the chair ready for her to sit.

Paxton’s respectful attitude stunned the police officer and even caused his gaze on Catherine to change slightly. The officer didn’t return to his senses until Paxton coughed twice to remind him.

Hearing Paxton’s cough, the officer finally reacted. He looked at Catherine in embarrassment and apologized, I’m sorry. I was distracted by the case just now.”

Was he distracted by the case? Or was he just stunned by Catherine’s domineering aura? Only he knew the answer. Catherine raised her eyebrows casually. “It doesn’t matter. Go ahead.”.

“Okay.” The officer regained his composure. Although he looked serious, his tone remained gentle and polite. “Please tell me what happened and the details of it.”

Catherine nodded slightly and said briefly.

“The group of people tried to kidnap me, and I had no choice but to resist.”

A simple sentence contained two key points, which left the officer dumbfounded. “They tried to kidnap you?”

Wasn’t it just a street fight?

The opposing counsel heard Catherine’s words and immediately retorted. Among the masked men, only two were slightly injured, and the rest were seriously injured and had been sent to the hospital.

They suffered from varying degrees of fracture, and one was still in the emergency room because of severe head injuries.

After learning about the situation, the man behind them contacted a lawyer. The lawyer raised his objections when hearing Catherine’s narration.

He patted the desk angrily, looking like a man of justice. “Sir, it is a horrific crime. At first, it was just a minor dispute, and my clients could have resolved the misunderstanding peacefully. However, she chose a completely different way instead. She not only injured my clients badly but also forced them to a dead end! What she did is definitely unforgivable!

“I know she is studying at the Loyalty Academy, which ranks the top in our city. I didn’t expect such a prestigious school to have a shameless student like her.”

The lawyer looked at Catherine complacently as he expressed himself with passion. It was as if he would undoubtedly win the lawsuit.

As the top university in Casier, it was difficult for ordinary students to be admitted to the Loyalty Academy. Besides excellent school performance, the school also paid much attention to students’ character and conduct.

Fighting with others outside the school was obviously bad conduct, and being involved in a serious case would also ruin one’s reputation. The lawyer believed that Catherine was afraid of it.

The police officer sized up Catherine for seconds. He thought, “She looks young and should be a university student. It is surprising that she is from a top university.

“If she is a student, the case will be more thorny.

“According to the current evidence and the witness’ narration, it appears to be an affray. And once the truth is discovered, she would be at a great disadvantage.”

The lawyer was glad to see Catherine fall silent. Subconsciously, he began to threaten Catherine as he often did to others before.

“Miss, my clients are all in the hospital now, and one is badly injured. He is still in the emergency room, and his life may be in danger. So, don’t even think of settling. You will have to compensate them and even go to jail. Quickly ask your family to get a capable lawyer to reduce the prison sentence for you.

“Also, you have another choice. Be sincere and take the initiative to apologize to my clients. This way, you can appeal to the judge for leniency.”

Paxton was irritated by the lawyer’s arrogance. He wondered, “How did he dare to be so provocative? How could he be so confident?”

Paxton could not say anything if Catherine didn’t give him a cue. The lawyer was indeed good at calling white black, and Catherine could not help but give him a once-over, head to toe.

Short and dark, the lawyer didn’t look like an upright person at all. There was a conspicuous mole beside his big nose, making him more frivolous. Moreover, two hairs grew from the mole and looked quite disgusting.

“You want me to apologize to them?” Catherine snorted. “Alright, I will.”

The lawyer thought that Catherine was going to compromise. However, the next second, he heard her cold voice. “I will apologize to him in front of his tombstone. Just wait for a while.”

The lawyer understood the implied meaning in Catherine’s words, and he glared at her. “You…”

Catherine interrupted him and said, ” How? You just said that he is dying. So I will mourn him after he dies. Is there any wrong with it?”

The lawyer’s face turned ashen when he heard Catherine’s words. He angrily rebuked, “Girl, how sharp- tongued you are. But it is useless. You can’t get away! You will be put into jail for at least three years! I’m not threatening you, you know?”

Neither Catherine nor the lawyer was willing to admit defeat. The police officer finally couldn’t stand their argument. He patted the desk and stopped them. “Enough! I’m the police, okay?”

With that, he reprimanded the lawyer.

“You are not in court. Don’t chime in when I’m taking statements.”

What the lawyer did was against the rules of the police station. He just took the chance to mess around and left the police with a bad impression of Catherine.

The police officer turned to question Catherine after settling the dispute.

“You just said you resisted them because they tried to kidnap you. If that was the case, how did they get injured? Who beat them up?”

Catherine replied calmly without hesitation, “Me.”

Chapter 298 Can You Shut Up?

Catherine’s answer stunned the police officer once again. He stared at her and asked in disbelief, “You? Are you kidding? You fought a dozen adult men alone?

“Miss Swann, you are at the police station. Please be serious. Don’t try to cover for someone. And don’t try to tell a lie because every lie will be exposed in front of evidence.”

As he said, the officer turned to glance at Branden. In his opinion, it was impossible for a girl like Catherine to fight with more than ten strong young men alone. Covering for someone was the only possibility.

Catherine couldn’t be bothered to explain. She had told the truth and didn’t care whether the police would believe her. If she could, she might shrug and tell them, “Believe it or not.”

Paxton came well-prepared. He handed the evidence he had found to the police officer.

“The surveillance camera at the tunnel entrance recorded what had happened at the scene. This is the surveillance footage. It can prove that Miss Swann didn’t lie. The dozens of criminals were the first to attack Miss Swann, and Miss Swann just defended herself.”

The lawyer wasn’t convinced and refuted, “Things are still under investigation. How can you address my clients as ‘criminals’? Mind your words, or I will accuse you of slandering my clients.”

Paxton glanced at the lawyer, his eyes filled with displeasure and warning. ” Can you shut up? Did the police officer allow you to speak? It doesn’t matter if you want to sue me. Just do it at any time after we leave the police station.”

Paxton thought in disdain, “He wants to sue me? How ridiculous. Isn’t he afraid of ruining his reputation? What a joke.”

The lawyer finally shut up in the face of Paxton’s overbearing attitude. He could only stare at Paxton silently with dissatisfaction.

He was waiting to see what Paxton had found out. Paxton took photos he had just received from the file bag and put them in front of the police officer.

“These are some photos of the scene. We found a lot of nails in the tunnel. They were the same as the ones that broke the tires of Miss Swann’s car.

“Please look at this one. It is a screenshot of the surveillance video. In it, the suspects were intentionally placing the nails in the tunnel.

“According to the photos, we have good reason to be suspicious. The suspects intended to murder Miss Swann but failed, so they decided to kidnap her instead.”

When the lawyer saw the photos, his face changed dramatically. He was informed that the mastermind had destroyed the surveillance footage, or he wouldn’t have accepted the case. He had never thought that Paxton would find any evidence that would work in Catherine’s favor.

This way, he would be at a disadvantage instead. The lawyer secretly exchanged a glance with his assistant at the door. The assistant received his order and hurriedly strode out.

Branden, who sat aside and seemed bored, noticed the lawyer’s trick.

He didn’t take it seriously.

Anyway, Catherine was hurt in front of him, and no one would be able to escape. No matter what tricks they played, Branden would not care. The police officer was shocked to see the evidence provided by Paxton. He turned to look at Catherine in surprise.

He didn’t expect a thin girl like her to be so ruthless while fighting. The police officer was known for his kickboxing skills in the police academy. However, when he watched the video of Catherine fighting, he was still amazed by her.

If he was not on duty, he would have called Catherine “master” and begged her to teach him her skillful strikes.

The proof was irrefutable, and the case thus turned from a normal affray into one involving murder and kidnapping. The police officer sorted the evidence and spoke solemnly to Catherine and the others.

“Since it is not a simple case, I’d like to report it to my superior. Please wait.”

As a young police officer, he had the right to handle regular street fights. However, a murder and kidnapping case was beyond his power and should be handled by the criminal police.

Catherine and the others didn’t have objections and watched as the police officer left. Ten minutes later, another police officer appeared.

He looked older and more sophisticated than the young officer earlier. Moreover, he seemed more overbearing and showed little respect to Catherine and the others.

As soon as he stepped in, he roared, “Be quiet! This is a police station. No matter what happens, you have to cooperate with the police!”

With that, the officer swept over Catherine in an unfriendly way. Also, the lawyer’s aggressiveness instantly gave way to flattery. He put on a smile and began to flatter the officer.

“Captain Zeld, you are finally here. Everyone knows you are a professional in a criminal investigation. You have to seek justice for us!”

Kason Zeld gazed at the lawyer with a straight face, but from his eyes, one could tell that he was pleased by the lawyer’s flattery.

Seeing that something was not going well, Paxton asked for Branden’s instructions and walked aside quietly to make a call. Kason walked to Catherine, looking serious and cold.

“I heard that you had gotten someone badly injured. Haven’t you watched the news recently? Don’t you know about the crackdown on violent crime? How can you be so unscrupulous?”

Catherine disliked being questioned for no reason. She ignored Kason and didn’t say a word. She thought Kason was not worthy of her attention.

The lawyer took the chance to slander Catherine and stir up the trouble. Captain Zeld, she didn’t cooperate with the officers at all. The facts of the case are clear. My clients were all sent to the hospital for treatment. I think you should arrest her and then take her to court after the investigation.”

He didn’t dare to go too far because of the evidence Paxton prepared. Many things could be done behind the scenes, and he didn’t need to expose his plans openly.

Catherine didn’t cast a single glance at Kason, and Kason thus believed that she was going against the law on purpose.

He warned, “Miss, I’d like to remind you. You are in the police station and must cooperate with the relevant investigation. Or else, I will resort to enforcement measures and accuse you of obstructing law enforcement.”

Catherine didn’t respond to him. She leaned against the chair casually with a cold face. Her behavior and attitude could not be more provocative.

Kason had worked as a police officer for years and had seen many offenders. Even so, Catherine’s composure was still beyond his imagination.

He planned to suppress Catherine in terms of aura. Unexpectedly, Paxton went back and said, “Wait…”

Kason squinted at Paxton. “Who are you?”

Paxton smiled coldly. “I’m Miss Swann’s assistant. Nice to see you.”

“An assistant?” Before Kason could say it out loud, his phone rang.

Seeing the caller ID, he immediately picked up the phone, his face changing slightly. After a while, his face became strange and even turned a little pale.

Chapter 299 Fright

After Kason hung up the call, he looked at Catherine. His gaze changed immediately as soon as his eyes met Catherine’s. He looked more respectful and humble than before.

Before he could speak, two middle- aged men barged into the lobby. They looked anxious.

It had attracted everyone’s attention. From the uniform of the two officers, it could be seen their ranks were high from the badges on their shoulders.

Kason greeted the officers respectfully with a salute. “Inspector, Sir, why are all of you here?”

The two officers glared at Kason, expressing their dissatisfaction. The commissioner had called them personally, and the matter seemed urgent. They dared not disobey his order.

The two officers looked around and saw Paxton. After confirming he was the one, the inspector approached him and respectfully greeted Paxton.

“Mr. Duncan, it’s a pleasure to meet you. You should have sent your subordinate instead of coming over personally.”

Paxton glanced at the officer and was still stern. His attitude did not change just because these two were of a higher status than Kason.

“Did the commissioner contact you?” asked Paxton.

“Yes. We didn’t know it was you, Mr. Duncan. Sorry for the inconvenience caused,” said the inspector as he bowed slightly. Everyone could see his humble attitude toward Paxton.

Paxton glanced at the inspector and introduced Catherine to the officers.” This is Miss Swann, the victim of this case.”

Paxton was smart. His attitude when introducing Catherine had explained Catherine’s status to the officers. He had even straightforwardly told the officers that she was the victim.

The inspector glanced at Catherine. From Catherine’s young and beautiful appearance and her extraordinary temperament, he could tell her status was unique.

Moreover, the commissioner had told him they had two important guests. So, the inspector could guess Catherine was one of the important guests, except for Paxton.

Just as the inspector was about to greet her, Paxton had noticed his intention beforehand. Paxton knew Catherine was different from others. She disliked being flattered and pestered.

To prevent the inspector from annoying Catherine, he quickly diverted the topic and shifted their attention to someone else.

“My boss, Mr. Duncan, is also here. He is the witness of this case.”

Branden had seen everything from nearby, and he was naturally the witness. The inspector was dumbfounded, but he soon realized what was going on.

He thought Paxton was involved in this, but it was unexpectedly Branden. He never expected someone of such a high status to be in his place. In Casier, anyone in the politics and business field would know the existence of the tycoon, Branden.

Everyone looked in the direction Paxton had been looking and saw a man with an oppressive temperament sitting in a corner of the room, silently watching them.

“Mr. Duncan…” The inspector’s voice trembled as he called out Branden’s title. Beside him was the lawyer of the other person. When the lawyer saw Branden, he knew they were done for this time. As a lawyer, he would know the details of the case. He would know who the culprit was and the victim.

However, his client had paid him a high amount of lawyer fees. He wanted to turn the case and defend his client to get him the greatest benefit, but it seemed impossible this time.

They were in great trouble this time. The lawyer wondered who Mr. Duncan was and if this man would affect his career as a lawyer.

Branden looked at the inspector and warned coldly, “This case is simple, and the evidence is clear. I hope you will follow the law upon carrying out your judgment.”

It was a simple warning, yet the inspector was so nervous that his back was sweaty. He shuddered in fear and nodded his head profusely.

“Mr. Duncan, please rest assured. We will be fair and follow the law.”

The evidence that had been taken away by one of the police officers was sent back upon the inspector’s order. They played the video with everyone around watching it.

As Branden mentioned, the case was clear and straightforward. The culprits were the group of people, and Catherine was undoubtedly the only victim. At the same time, Paxton received a piece of new information and revealed it to everyone at the scene.

“Sir, here is a document of the culprits’ background and identity. Three of them are wanted criminals. Please settle this case soon.”

Looking at the document handed to him, the inspector’s expression turned gloomy as he glared at Kason coldly, blaming him for being inefficient in settling this case.

The documents of the wanted criminals were all online. Yet those people dared even to turn the truth. It was intolerable! It was a disgrace to his career since something like this happened in the area under his care.

“Kason, take them to the hospital and arrest these criminals. Once they are awake, interrogate each of them. Don’t let anyone off easily!” ordered the inspector.

Getting the signal from his boss, Paxton did his job to speak to the inspector immediately.

“Inspector, since this case is clear, can we leave first? Miss Swann had been through a fright and has to take a rest.”

Fright!

The inspector could not believe his ears upon hearing this. From the video, there were at least a dozen men, each sturdy. Yet none of them could defeat Catherine.

Who would have thought a lady could be so fierce when she beat up those guys?

She whacked those guys with a stick, and each collapsed after one hit. It was thrilling and unexpected, just like in the action movies.

The matter ended under the police department’s quick action in dealing with this case. The mastermind, Dayton, had been subdued when Catherine and Branden left after signing the documents. Moreover, he was arrested because he had attempted murder.

Walking out of the police station’s gate, Catherine realized the sky was getting dark. The night breeze blew through her hair, bringing the citrus scent from the man. It was warm and comforting.

She tilted her head and saw the man buttoning up her coat with a serious expression. Branden might have noticed her gaze and spoke gently. “It’s getting cold. You should have worn a thicker coat.”

It was cold indeed, but they were getting into the car. The car was equipped with a warmer. It was not cold. However, Catherine noticed the man’s stubborn gaze.

She decided not to argue with him about this. After all, she had learned her lesson. It was just her boyfriend caring for her.

The car pulled to a stop before them, and Paxton respectfully opened the door for them. Branden did not get into the vehicle immediately. Instead, he held Catherine’s hand.

After Catherine took her seat, he got into the car. The quiet environment in the car was suitable for taking a nap, and Paxton was a good driver. Catherine leaned against the window and rested.

She squinted her eyes and looked at the cars passing by outside lazily. After a while, she realized something seemed off. She was too lazy to open her eyes wide and asked lazily, “Where are we heading to?”

Paxton heard Catherine’s question and quickly answered, “Miss Swann, Mr. Branden wants to go to the Swanns’ today!”

Catherine was not surprised to hear that answer and did not ask why they were heading there either. She just hummed lazily and continued looking outside the window.

It seemed like she was not interested in why they were going there. Since she did not ask, Paxton did not think it was appropriate for him to explain abruptly.

After the police arrested Dayton, Johnathan, the real mastermind behind this, had been exposed, too.

Branden’s motive for going to the Swanns’ was not simple. Paxton knew Branden’s motive might be to seek

Chapter 300 Barking Dog

Paxton pulled over the car at the gate of the Swanns. Catherine said nothing during the ride from the police station to the Swanns. She did not intend to ask Branden why he had brought her to this place.

She was involved, yet she gave others a feeling that she didn’t care about this, like she had nothing to do with it.

This was the second time Branden had visited the Swanns. The last time he was there was at Vicente’s funeral. He had never thought he would be the one who would bring Catherine back.

It made him wonder what Vicente would think if he knew this. The maids did not show much enthusiasm when they saw it was Catherine visiting.

The maids were all Rachael’s workers and naturally would not be nice to Catherine. One of the maids who talked to Catherine did not even address her as Miss Swann. All she did was ask coldly, “Who are you looking for? Do you know you have to make an appointment to get in?”

Facing the maid’s attitude, Branden frowned and took Catherine a step back.

He glanced at the maid coldly. His fierce gaze and oppressive temperament scared the maid. She dared not look into his eyes, and her attitude was less rude.

After warning the maid with his gaze, Branden caressed Catherine’s soft hair and asked, “Has it always been like this?”

Catherine knew what Branden meant. He asked her if the maids had always treated her like this and why she did not fight for her rights. After all, Catherine’s character did not seem like she would endure this humiliation.

Catherine did not even look at them. She lazily said, “Why do I have to quarrel with the dog guarding this house? I don’t know how to bark.”

The maid’s face flushed red in embarrassment and turned pale. She felt humiliated, just like she had embarrassed Catherine just now.

The other two people behind Paxton tried hard to hold back their laughter, making the situation more awkward.

Branden agreed to what Catherine said and did not take it as a joke. “Your words make sense. Well. Let’s look for someone who we can communicate with. Ask Korbin to attend us personally,”

Branden and Paxton were both leaders who could always intimidate others.

Moreover, Catherine had always been ruthless when living with the Swanns, making the maids fear they might get what they wanted the hard way.

Although the maids were displeased, they did not dare to express it. Even though they said nothing about it, they cursed Catherine deep down.

Everyone in the Swanns knew Catherine was a country bumpkin, and she was not taken seriously. So, it was ridiculous and impossible for Korbin to attend to her personally.

She stood there, wanting to see Catherine being humiliated again. After Branden spoke, as the Duncan Corporation’s president’s assistant, Paxton dialed Korbin’s number immediately.

Korbin happened to be at home. Within ten minutes, Korbin arrived at the gate in a hurry. Upon hearing the footsteps, the maid turned around subconsciously.

Noticing it was Korbin heading toward the gate, she was shocked, and her jaw dropped. It seemed that Korbin’s arrival was not within her expectations. She had never thought Catherine could make Korbin welcome her arrival personally.

Korbin was also dumbfounded when he received the call from Paxton. Never did he expect Branden to visit the Swanns. Moreover, he was already at their door.

When he was at the door, he saw Branden and Catherine. Although he was surprised to see them together, he did not show it on his face.

Rumors about Branden having a girlfriend-a daughter of the Swanns- had been spreading. Since the rumor had spread, Korbin had naturally heard of it. So, he was not surprised.

However, he had never expected that particular Miss Swann to be his jinxed daughter, who had grown up in the countryside since she was young.

Catherine had inherited her mother’s beauty, but Branden was not an ordinary man to fall for only that. If he had only cared about the beauty of women, he would have kept many mistresses.

Korbin greeted Branden enthusiastically once he approached them. He ignored Catherine and never even bothered to look at her.

“Mr. Duncan, what brings you here?

Please come in. I have just asked the kitchen to make you some coffee from the coffee beans I just got. Please do me the pleasure of tasting it.”

According to the seniority and age, Korbin was Branden’s uncle. However, according to the Duncans’ status in Casier, Branden, as the Duncans’ president, naturally had a higher position than Korbin.

Korbin was an elder, but he still had to address Branden with a title. Branden showed no response to Korbin’s enthusiastic invitation. He stood there with a cold expression.

When Korbin was embarrassed and did not know what to do, Branden casually said, “Mr. Swann, the maid you employ is dedicated to her job.”

Then, he continued coldly. “She is strict!”

The simple remark had implied why Branden did not respond to Korbin’s invitation. The maids of the Swanns had been trained to be friendly to the guests unless due to some exceptional circumstances.

Even though they had never seen Branden before, they should know he was not any simple guest from his words and composure. So, the maids would never be disrespectful to the guests.

Then, Korbin looked at Catherine, and he knew why. The maid must have seen Catherine and had wanted to make things difficult for her. That was why he was in an embarrassing situation now. It did not matter what Catherine’s status was in the Swanns.

When her grandfather took her back to the Swanns, she was already part of the family. They could treat her as badly as they wanted when no outsiders were around.

However, Branden was an outsider, and they would only make a joke out of themselves if they let him see them bullying Catherine. Korbin calmly told the butler, “Pay the maid the rest of her salary and ask her to leave.”

The maid was dumbfounded and did not expect the punishment to be so severe. Never did she expect she would lose her job because of Catherine.

She wanted to beg for mercy, but the butler knew Korbin would not change his mind. He covered the maid’s mouth and dragged her away.

Branden looked at Korbin, settling the problem expressionlessly. The Swanns had not trained their maids well and mistreated his girlfriend. He was already nice enough not to punish the maid personally. Korbin was respecting Branden by settling the matter before him.

“Mr. Duncan, please come in!”

Branden did not accept Korbin’s invitation and held Catherine’s hand gently as he asked, “Do you want to go in?”

Catherine nodded. Only then did Branden hold Catherine’s hand and walk into the house. Korbin looked at the couple. Branden’s attitude pissed him off, but he could do nothing about it.

The Swanns were far inferior to the Duncans.

When they were in the living room, Korbin asked them to make themselves at home and have a seat. When the coffee was ready, Korbin chuckled and spoke to Branden.

“Mr. Duncan, may I know why you came to the Swanns, please?”

He cared most about Branden’s motive for the visit. The Duncans could affect everything in Casier with their current status.