Ch. 361..370

Chapter 361 A Devoted Boyfriend

After the final run-through, Catherine saved the data and left the lab. She stared at Rodge and Scott calmly as she said casually, “Simulation is done, and data is saved. Double-check it, and feel free to reach out if there’s an issue.

“Is that it?” Scott exclaimed in surprise, with his mouth wide open. Catherine raised an eyebrow. She lowered her head and shot him a quick glance. “What did you expect?”

“Chief, last time, Rodge and I pulled all -nighters for a week to run a single simulation. Chief, you managed to finish it in less than two hours…”

Scott was truly taken aback by Catherine’s skills. They said that seeing was believing. He had heard about Catherine’s prowess and how she was rumored to be a genius in her field.

However, it was all hearsay, and he had never experienced it firsthand. He had no idea of Catherine’s skills.

Now, having witnessed it with his own eyes, he finally understood why Catherine was considered a genius in the intellectual community.

As Scott gazed at Catherine, Rodge could only facepalm and tug at Scott’s sleeve. Rodge whispered, “Enough. Stop talking about it.”

“Stop embarrassing yourself,” he thought.

This time, he was completely awestruck. Scott stopped talking. He pouted and was obviously unhappy. If he couldn’t talk about that, he would find something else.

“Chief, I’ve been following the developments on Twitter closely. It’s escalating, and another big shot in the industry is accusing you of disrupting the order.”

Scott was getting a bit anxious. While he could understand why Catherine remained so composed, he couldn’t help but feel the urgency.

Great minds like Catherine, at the ceiling of their field, were always contemplating global-scale events. They didn’t have time to manage these trivial matters.

As a staunch supporter of Catherine, he would not tolerate any slander against her. If Catherine didn’t allow him to intervene and rectify the situation, he could only watch in frustration and discomfort.

Catherine didn’t pay much attention to what Scott was worried about. Many people talked about her regularly, and if she took everything to heart, she would be constantly irritated. She picked up her coat and prepared to leave.

Once Scott started talking, he couldn’t stop.

“Chief, I need to tell you that those fans are going crazy. They’re not only attacking you on Twitter, but they’re also targeting a female artist named Audrey Swann. They claim that she is your sister and use fans to…”

Before Scott could finish, he sensed an intense gaze coming from Catherine. He instinctively looked up. Then, he met her cold, piercing eyes. His heart skipped a beat.

He thought inwardly, “What has gotten into chief?

“Why is she suddenly so angry?”

Scott had no idea. He sat quietly and wisely kept his mouth shut. Catherine, who had initially decided to leave, turned to Scott and asked, “You mentioned those people online are harassing Audrey?”

Scott was stunned. He nodded silently. He didn’t understand Catherine’s intentions in asking about that. He could feel that the air around Catherine grew colder.

It took him a while to snap out of it after Catherine had left. Scott, who was still shaken, looked at Rodge with a bewildered expression.

“Rodge, what’s going on with chief?”

Rodge shrugged with a nonchalant attitude. “Kid, instead of worrying about these small matters of the chief, why don’t you come in and learn from me? Watch how the chief conducts simulations.”

Rodge was now filled with passion, and his fighting spirit had been ignited by Catherine. He was determined to learn and stand alongside the chief for the next data analysis.

That was the goal he set for himself. As for the events involving the chief, in Rodge’s eyes, they were inconsequential.

He thought that the chief was just toying with them. When the chief didn’t want to play anymore, she could easily eliminate these shameless individuals. He didn’t need to be concerned about that.

Completing their current tasks was the best way to repay the chief. Inside the hotel room, Triston and Aidan were playing cards with Branden.

They rarely got the chance to gather together. Since they didn’t invite any girls, they could only play cards. Triston and Aidan decided to team up to take down Branden in their card game.

Paxton watched from the sidelines and continuously chuckled. He couldn’t understand why, after so many years, Triston and Aidan still hadn’t learned their lesson.

Even if they joined forces, they were still no match for Branden. Moreover, Branden was well aware of their collaboration and continued to play with them. His confidence was astounding. However, these two men remained oblivious to the reality.

Branden once again laid down all his cards. He swiftly and mercilessly defeated both Triston and Aidan in a round that left them penniless.

In less than two hours of gaming, the two of them had respectively lost the equivalent of a luxury apartment in Oceanvile. Triston exclaimed with a hint of frustration, “Come on. Let’s continue. I don’t think you can always win.”

Unusually, Branden arranged the cards. Suddenly, the phone left aside made a notification sound. He glanced at his phone. Then, he casually tossed his cards, stood up, and walked away.

Triston was stunned. He followed and asked, “Mr. Duncan, you’re leaving just like that?”

Branden walked away with his hands in his pockets, not bothering to turn around. He left the room without a second thought.

Triston was left bewildered and turned to Aidan, who remained in his seat. Triston asked, “What’s going on? Why did he leave so suddenly?”

Aidan looked at him with disdain and replied, “You can’t figure it out? It’s obvious that he has been summoned by Catherine. He’s rushing to pick her up!”

He hadn’t forgotten the scene at Meadow Restaurant when Catherine was about to leave. Branden, the illustrious young heir of the Duncans, was acting like a lovesick fool. He insisted on picking her up.

When Catherine agreed to let him pick her up if she stayed out too late, Branden’s aura returned to normal. When Aidan witnessed that scene, he began to doubt his own eyes.

He even suspected that Catherine must have put a spell on Branden. Otherwise, how could someone who was always so aloof and dignified suddenly transform like this?

It seemed like Branden was increasingly moving toward a path of being a devoted boyfriend, which made it all feel surreal to Aidan.

After a reminder from Aidan, Triston finally caught on. It turned out that Branden’s urgency was for picking up his girlfriend. This world had indeed changed.

Chapter 362 Audrey’s Anger

Catherine stepped out of the neighborhood and spotted a black car waiting at the side. Branden was not sitting in the car. He leaned against it and waited for her.

As she appeared, Branden took the initiative to approach. They were just a step apart when Branden reached out and naturally took Catherine’s hand.

As their hands intertwined, Branden frowned. He asked in a hoarse voice, ” What’s wrong? Your hand is so cold.”

Before Catherine could respond, Branden gently pulled her hand into his embrace and warmed it with his own body heat.

“Come. Let’s get in the car and warm up a bit.”

In reality, Catherine wasn’t actually cold. Her hand was icy from the two hours she had spent in the lab operating machinery without a break.

Once inside the car, Branden instructed Paxton, who was seated in the front. He said, “Increase the car’s temperature.”

Thanks to the car’s excellent performance, the interior temperature rose within seconds. Catherine had just endured two hours of high-intensity work, and now she was feeling a bit tired. As the temperature inside the car increased, she couldn’t help but yawn.

Seeing her feeling exhausted, a rare expression of concern appeared on Branden’s face. After he reached out, he gently caressed her cheek and turned her toward him.

“Rest for a bit. We still have quite a distance to your hotel.”

“Alright,” Catherine replied. She complied and leaned against Branden quietly. There was a faint, pleasant scent about him, which was conducive to sleep.

It was something she hadn’t noticed the first time they met, but she had come to appreciate it in subsequent encounters. It was an inviting fragrance that brought a sense of comfort.

Every time, Catherine could peacefully rest her head on his shoulder and doze off for a while. Online discussions about Catherine had escalated, and internet users had started to mockingly refer to her as royalty.

They claimed that she didn’t rely on her talent to compete but instead had strong backing.

Especially after two influential figures in the industry spoke out, it almost seemed like they had solid evidence of Catherine’s cheating. Netizens swarmed Catherine’s Twitter and launched an attack.

This situation had a ripple effect on Audrey as well. The moment she stepped out of the filming location, journalists surrounded her.

Kim had anticipated this and had already advised Audrey not to respond publicly. However, they didn’t expect the onslaught of reporters to be so intense. Kim did his best to lead Audrey through the crowd.

“Audrey, is it true that you’ve been using your fans’ love for you to support your sister?”

“Audrey, what is your take on your sister getting cozy with the mentors and joining the royalty during the competition?”

As Audrey heard the word “cozy”, she frowned instantly. She was about to respond when Kim firmly held her back. Remembering Kim’s instructions, Audrey reluctantly stayed silent.

The gossipy journalists were all sharp observers. Audrey’s irritation only spurred them on. They wanted to provoke her to create a sensational headline.

For them, it would be perfect for a headline like “Audrey Swann Furious and Lashes Out at Reporters in Anger.”

They continued to press Audrey with tricky questions.

“Audrey, won’t you answer?”

“Is she such a big star? What level of celebrity is she, anyway?”

“She only became famous recently and already has such an attitude!”

Audrey wasn’t bothered by the insults and criticism directed at her. What she couldn’t tolerate was when someone used Catherine as a target.

When she heard a reporter accuse Catherine of shamelessly flirting with everyone, Audrey couldn’t hold back any longer.

She forcefully pushed Kim’s hand away and grabbed the reporter’s collar. The surrounding journalists immediately became excited. Camera flashes went off like crazy. No one wanted to miss this potential headline.

Kim stood to the side and felt a headache coming on. Trouble was brewing. The reporter being held by Audrey showed no fear and even stared at Audrey with a smug expression. ” What’s the matter, big celebrity? Do you want to assault a reporter in public?

Audrey’s expression turned serious. She put aside her usual lighthearted demeanor and coldly stared at the reporter with her sharp eyes.

She replied, “Assault you? Do you take me for a fool? I won’t make such a mistake in public, and I won’t give you the chance to spin it into self- promotion or put a false label on me.

“I’m here to warn you. There are plenty of eyes and cameras here, and there’s bound to be footage of your words and actions.”

Despite Audrey’s serious demeanor, the reporter still displayed an arrogant attitude.

“I’m a journalist, and you’re a celebrity. Can’t I ask you some questions?”

“You can ask me questions, but you can’t slander my sister!” Audrey’s voice was stern and cold, and her gaze was sharp. “Today, you must publicly apologize to my sister for this matter, or else…”

The reporter remained arrogant and didn’t take Audrey’s words seriously. Audrey was a public figure, and escalating the situation would not be in her best interest. She couldn’t afford to make a scene.

However, no one expected Audrey to be so resolute this time. She directly told the reporter, “If you don’t apologize, I will take you to court. I will go to any lengths to seek justice, even if it means sacrificing my entire acting career.

“You heard me right. I’m warning you. You can report however you like when you go back, but if you don’t apologize today, you won’t leave here!

“I’ll use my future prospects to confront you. Don’t believe me? You can try!”

The journalists witnessing the commotion were shocked by Audrey’s tough stance. The previously bustling crowd suddenly fell silent. All the cameras were focused on the reporter and Audrey.

The reporter being held by Audrey didn’t expect her to be willing to sacrifice so much to confront him. He was an entertainment journalist who was skilled in creating controversies to attract attention.

In the past, he always operated like this. Even if he occasionally faced criticism from fans, it didn’t bother him.

Just like making a celebrity rise through scandals, they needed to create buzz. If they didn’t have the ability to ignite a hot topic, who would read their news?

His intention in making those provocative comments earlier was to provoke Audrey. Audrey was completely provoked by him, and she also began to take things very seriously.

As Audrey had said, there were cameras all around, and his every word and action had been recorded. If it turned into a legal battle, he would undoubtedly lose. Seeing that Audrey had no intention of backing down, the reporter had to yield.

“I’m sorry, then.”

However, a simple apology didn’t quell Audrey’s anger. She brushed off Kim’s discreet gestures and demanded a sincere apology.

“Please, in front of the camera, apologize to my sister Catherine for your words and actions.”

The reporter didn’t want to end up in a legal battle. He reluctantly followed Audrey’s instructions.

Chapter 363 The Project

Audrey’s confrontation made those reporters think twice about causing a scene. Taking the opportunity, Kim led Audrey away from the media frenzy. As soon as they got into the car, Kim couldn’t help but scold Audrey.

“I told you not to act impulsively. Why didn’t you listen?

“You’ve just offended all those reporters, and no one will speak well of you in the future.”

In the entertainment industry, the last people one wanted to offend were the reporters. Their pens were like swords. They could make or break a person’s reputation.

Reporters didn’t solely depend on celebrities for their livelihood. It was a mutually beneficial relationship. They liked fish and water, and they were inseparable from each other.

Audrey held onto one reporter publicly. If they all teamed up against her, her path in the industry would become treacherous. In the face of Kim’s scolding, Audrey maintained a humble demeanor, but she didn’t regret it this time.

When those reporters criticized her, she could take it. When they insulted Catherine, she couldn’t stand for that. Kim began to realize that Audrey wasn’t listening at all.

Now, he was starting to regret thinking that Audrey’s connection to Catherine would pave a smooth path for her in the future. He didn’t expect Catherine to be such a troublemaker. Now, Audrey might get caught in the crossfire.

Audrey also knew that Kim was probably in a bad mood now, so she remained silent. Outside the film set, the reporter, who had been publicly humiliated by Audrey, felt intense resentment toward her. In all his years as a reporter, he had never endured such humiliation.

He vowed to regain his reputation by writing a scathing article about Audrey. However, at that moment, the phone in his hand rang. He saw it was the chief editor calling and hurriedly answered.

He was showered with a torrent of reprimands. “You brat! If you don’t want to make a living, don’t drag me down with you.”

The reporter was stunned. He wasn’t sure what he had done wrong. It wasn’t until the chief editor sent him a resignation letter that he realized how serious the situation was.

The chief editor on the phone made it clear that this reporter had offended someone without specifying whom he had offended. He proceeded to confiscate all the accounts held by the reporter.

The chief editor also mentioned the camaraderie among colleagues and advised the reporter not to cause any more trouble, or else he wouldn’t have a chance to stay in this city.

After reviewing the situation, the reporter could only think of one person. It was Audrey. He had only offended Audrey recently. There had been rumors about powerful connections behind Audrey.

Since many paparazzi had followed her for a long time without finding any significant leads, they had dismissed it as hearsay. Now it seemed to be true. Only true power players could hide their tracks. The reporter realized that he had truly offended someone powerful.

In Oceanvile, Catherine’s car arrived safely at the hotel. Instead of taking Catherine to the hotel where he was staying, Branden brought Catherine back to her original one.

The car pulled directly into the underground garage and parked in front of the elevator. From the moment Catherine’s school made the reservation at this hotel, the hotel changed ownership and became one of the establishments under the Duncan Corporation.

Paxton parked the car and then glanced back. After receiving instructions from Branden, he slowly exited the car, circled around to the other side of the car, and helped open the door for Branden.

Branden got out of the car first. Then, he turned around to gently carry Catherine out from inside. He cradled Catherine in his arms with great care and took the elevator to the top-floor presidential suite.

The suite consisted of three rooms, which Catherine had occupied alone before. Just as Branden was about to place Catherine on the bed, Catherine suddenly opened her eyes, and her cold gaze was filled with intense hostility. Her eyes were sharp and chilling.

Her pupils slowly focused. After she recognized who was holding her, the cold aura around Catherine instantly dissipated. She returned to her previous languid demeanor and even leaned her head against Branden’s chest.

She rubbed against him like a playful kitten, which caused Branden to smile. Catherine woke up, and Branden had no intention of putting her to bed for rest.

He carried her directly to the living room. Catherine obediently relaxed against Branden, allowing him to carry her into the living room.

Once they were seated on the living room sofa, Branden poured a glass of warm water and handed it to Catherine. He said, “To soothe your throat.”

Catherine couldn’t be bothered to take the glass herself and simply drank from Branden’s hand. She took a few sips before reclining back again.

It was just meant to moisten her throat. Though she only took a little, Branden didn’t press her any further. He softly asked, “Would you like to sleep a little longer?”

Catherine shook her head and reached into her pocket for her phone. She was tired when she returned earlier and hadn’t had a chance to handle online matters. As she opened her phone, she saw a message from Joseph.

She promptly opened it without trying to hide it from Branden behind her. Branden held Catherine, and since Catherine didn’t avoid him, he didn’t take the initiative to move away.

He allowed Catherine to adjust herself in his embrace. He was just like a reliable and obedient human couch. The message from Joseph contained a video. Catherine noticed that the video’s cover featured Audrey. She clicked on the video to watch it.

Upon seeing Audrey’s transformation from mildness to fierceness, Catherine let out a cold, sarcastic laugh. Following this, Branden teased her from behind her head, saying, “I didn’t expect your sister to be so fierce. Quite a sight!”

Catherine lifted her head slightly and stared at Branden with her playful gaze. “What’s the matter? Do you find the daughters from the Swanns too fierce to handle?”

Knowing that she was in a playful mood, Branden played along. He embraced her with one arm while idly caressing her soft fingers with the other.

“Fierce? I’ve never seen it. Kathy, you can show me sometime.”

Knowing he was just teasing, Catherine couldn’t be bothered to engage further. She rolled her eyes at him and said, “Be careful. When I get fierce, I might just skin you alive and eat you!”

The next moment, Catherine felt a change in the man’s gaze. She hadn’t realized the ambiguity in her words until a while had passed. Her cheeks reddened slightly. To avoid further embarrassment, Catherine swiftly changed the subject.

“I heard that Triston’s entertainment project is supposed to be a big deal in the second half of the year. It’s been in the works for a long time.”

It was more than just in the works. Over a hundred actresses had already gone for auditions. With a big production, a substantial team, and financial backing, nobody wanted to miss out on this opportunity.

Not to mention Catherine, even Branden was aware of this news.

After hearing that, Branden understood her intention. He replied, “There’s indeed such a project. You can forward this video to Triston. Audrey’s fierceness might be somewhat similar to the female lead.”

“Alright.” Catherine readily nodded, and the matter was settled. For Branden, it was his duty to please his future sister-in-law by helping her with her career.

After all, Audrey was wronged for Catherine’s sake this time. Branden wanted to make amends. With Audrey’s matter settled, Catherine continued her online activities. She was ready to see how the internet trolls had bullied her.

Chapter 364 The Principal’s Decision

Catherine had just opened her Twitter when she was bombarded by a barrage of mocking comments from netizens. Catherine once claimed on a variety show while accompanying Audrey that she would never venture into the entertainment industry.

Now, Catherine was being dragged into the spotlight, with many netizens accusing her of having a burning desire for fame.

Some even started a trending topic on Twitter, demanding a vote to kick Catherine out of the competition. They believed that someone like Catherine didn’t deserve to be part of the competition team, let alone have the qualifications to win.

Apart from some objective commenters, there were also a bunch of bored keyboard warriors. They vented their frustrations under Catherine’s tweet with a barrage of insults and curses.

After Branden glanced at it, his expression darkened instantly. He reached out to take Catherine’s phone from her hand. “Don’t look at that. How about some late-night snacks?

Although late-night snacks were not the healthiest, Catherine was still growing, and a bit of extra nutrition wouldn’t hurt.

Catherine gave the comments a cursory look. She didn’t really care about those online comments. Just when she was about to put her phone away, a call came through. It was her homeroom teacher, Miss Joyce.

Catherine answered the call and held the phone to her ear.

“Catherine, it’s Myra. You haven’t gone to bed yet, have you?”

“Uh-huh,” Catherine grumbled. “I’m calling late mainly about the competition. As you know, it has sparked some discussions online.”

Myra’s voice sounded somewhat awkward, as it wasn’t a very positive situation, and it was understandable that it might be uncomfortable.

“You are my student, and I naturally believe in you. I hope you can clarify this externally, at least to convey our stance. If you need assistance, I can help you draft an official statement.”

In fact, the minimum educational qualification for teaching at Loyalty Academy was a Ph.D., and Myra’s qualifications were indeed impressive.

“Miss Joyce, I understand, and I will handle it,” Catherine responded directly. Seeing that Catherine had her own plans, Myra decided not to dwell on the matter. “Alright, then. If you need any assistance, don’t hesitate to contact me.”

After ending the call with Catherine, Myra turned her attention to the people at the head of the table. In fact, they were all still in the school conference room because of Catherine’s situation.

Catherine’s situation had sparked considerable discussion online and had directly impacted the school’s reputation. The principal had decided to keep them all for a meeting, and the recent phone call was also initiated by the principal.

The math teacher standing nearby couldn’t help but get infuriated by the homeroom teacher’s lukewarm defense of Catherine.

Ever since the incident the last time, her position at school had been declining day by day, and some students even looked down on her.

She lost opportunities for promotions and professional recognition. It was all because of Catherine. How could she possibly like Catherine?

“Miss Joyce, you’re quite good at protecting your students. I think Catherine is nothing but a troublemaker. A student who tarnishes the school’s reputation should be expelled!”

Although the math teacher’s views were sharp, many other teachers also expressed their dissatisfaction with Catherine.

This was mainly because Catherine’s situation had led to online users conducting a virtual witch hunt. They even dragged teachers who had taught her into the fray. They questioned these teachers’ methods in their Twitter posts.

This backlash was hurting their interests, which was why they were all so hostile toward Catherine.

Seeing everyone’s negative comments about Catherine, the homeroom teacher couldn’t help but speak up, Dear colleagues, I understand your feelings. But I know my student’s character very well. Even though Catherine might seem aloof, she’s still a good student. This situation might be a misunderstanding, and I hope everyone can give Catherine a chance to clarify.”

“Misunderstanding?” The math teacher sneered a few times. Then, he said, “Miss Joyce, you’re quite lenient. How can you call Catherine, who sleeps in class and even got into a fight with students from another school last time, a good student?”

On a previous occasion, students from another school had come to Loyalty Academy to provoke a fight with Catherine, and she had only given them a simple lesson.

Since it was the other school’s fault, the school didn’t hold Catherine accountable. Now, the math teacher was attacking Catherine for this issue.

“I believe she’s a bad influence and should be expelled.”

She strongly suggested that the principal should expel Catherine to minimize the damage. The principal was also somewhat hesitant, but with so many teachers expressing their views, he needed to balance their opinions.

Just when the principal was about to make a decision, the phone on his desk rang. He asked the teachers to wait and got up to answer the call. Two minutes later, the principal returned, ending the call.

The math teacher and others were impatiently waiting for the principal to announce Catherine’s expulsion since they thought the principal seemed inclined in that direction.

Myra could also guess and still wanted to make an effort. She was biased toward Catherine. She believed Catherine hadn’t done anything wrong and that she deserved a chance to explain her side of the story.

“Principal…” Myra spoke up, but she was interrupted by the principal’s gesture. She had no choice but to give up. Watching the smug faces of the math teacher and others, Myra felt wronged and unsatisfied.

In her eyes, Catherine hadn’t done anything wrong. There wasn’t a definitive conclusion on the matter.

The principal gestured for everyone to quiet down and spoke with an unyielding tone, “I’ve heard all your opinions. Personally, I believe that until there’s a conclusive resolution, as educators, we should first believe in our students’ character.

“If we don’t trust them, who will? So, in this matter, the board of directors has decided to support Catherine and our student body. Let’s not discuss the topic of expelling Catherine any further. We won’t easily cast any student out of our school.”

The principal’s stance suddenly turned rigid and firm. The other teachers understood the shift in the situation and didn’t dare to bring up the matter again. Although the math teacher was dissatisfied, she didn’t dare to confront the principal.

Moreover, the principal mentioned the board of directors. It hinted that the Swanns might be exerting pressure.

Even though Catherine had a complicated background within the Swanns, the Swanns’ stock holdings still seemed to be under her name. It was possible for her family to intervene.

In any case, the hope of expelling Catherine seemed to have faded. The happiest person in the room was undoubtedly Myra, who could finally breathe a sigh of relief. At the same time, Catherine was in Oceanvile.

Catherine watched as Branden put down his phone and looked up at him. ” Did you call the school’s board of directors?”

Branden nodded slightly and appeared quite casual. “I took care of it.”

When it came to Catherine’s affairs, he paid more attention to every detail than to a project worth several hundred million dollars.

The Duncans were the largest shareholder on Loyalty Academy’s board of directors, and his words could easily sway the entire board.

Chapter 365 Just Friends

In Oceanvile, Catherine came across several high-profile figures on Twitter, all with verified accounts. One of them was a renowned music producer who had posted a tweet garnering a lot of likes and followers on Twitter.

“The music industry has seen better days than a decade ago, but we’re still working hard. Let’s not bring negative influences into the music industry and tarnish the last traces of purity in this circle!”

Although he didn’t directly mention Catherine on Twitter, he had previously liked a post from a popular blogger who criticized Catherine. It didn’t take much guessing to figure out who he was referring to.

A group of fans joined in. They passionately supported his views and added their own criticism of Catherine. Branden glanced at the man’s Twitter profile and immediately provided Catherine with background information.

“He is from the Hazels in Oceanvile. He has a niece participating in the competition.”

With the last name Hazel, she participated in the same competition. Catherine looked up at Branden and asked, “Is it Emma Hazel?”

He nodded and replied, “That should be the name.” Even though he hadn’t taken direct action, he had all the information he needed. Catherine squinted her eyes as she was deep in thought.

She couldn’t help but feel that this situation wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed, especially considering the frenzy on Twitter. Catherine recalled her homeroom teacher’s instructions and decided to post an update on her Twitter account.

Meanwhile, Ronin was engrossed in his game. He was infuriated by those online trolls attempting to smear Catherine. He could only find solace by eliminating a few opponents in the game. Suddenly, a notification popped up.

“Your friend has posted a tweet.”

He only had one friend on Twitter, and that was Catherine. The moment Catherine updated her Twitter, Ronin immediately closed his game and logged onto Twitter to check it out.

Catherine posted a tweet. “Just friends.

It’s all about one’s abilities.”

With these simple words, she made a bold statement. Upon seeing it, Ronin let out a loud cheer and enthusiastically liked the post. He exclaimed, “Catherine, that’s amazing!”

After that, he took a screenshot of Catherine’s tweet and shared it in a WhatsApp group. He actively mentioned all his friends and said, ” Hurry up and show some support for Catherine. Give Catherine some likes!”

Although most of them weren’t active on Twitter, some of them had verified accounts and a substantial following.

Triston had a verified account that indicated he was the CEO of a prominent company. He also retweeted Catherine’s tweet and liked the post.

He mentioned Catherine and made a comment. “Cheer up, Kathy. Let’s not tolerate anyone trying to ride on Catherine’s popularity.”

Yesenia was a social media maven who loved to share and had an account with numerous followers on Twitter. She also retweeted Catherine’s post on Twitter and rallied behind her.

Initially, the tone of comments on Twitter was overwhelmingly negative, but with these influential figures showing their support for Catherine, the landscape shifted dramatically.

Some clueless fans made a comment. ” How much did Catherine pay to get so many people to promote and defend her?”

If such a comment were made on a typical tweet, it would be ridiculed mercilessly. But when it was made under Triston and the others’ posts, it only invited scorn for the commenter’s ignorance.

Could someone like Triston, who was the CEO of Boren Entertainment and known for his extravagant lifestyle and lavish spending, be bought?

And did the Lamberts need money?

Triston found the comment amusing and posted a picture of several black credit cards from his wallet on Twitter. Then, he made a comment.

“How much for an army of trolls? Can I use these cards?”

The tone of the discussion took a sudden turn, and fans started posting various comments. They pointed out that even a single card from the set would be enough to buy an airplane.

They commented that a wealthy young man like Triston couldn’t be short on money. As for Yesenia, her Twitter account was renowned for extravagance. A wealthy girl like her wouldn’t be short of money.

Their WhatsApp group exploded into chaos due to Yesenia’s and Triston’s provocative actions, and those who didn’t have Twitter accounts were clamoring to create one.

However, what intrigued them the most was Branden’s reaction. Before they could indulge in any more gossip, Yesenia let out a scream in the group.

“Wow! Hurry up and check Twitter. My uncle is so cool!

“Oh, my God…”

Aidan and the others scolded Yesenia for her constant dramatic reactions. They called her inexperienced. Nevertheless, they couldn’t resist pulling out their phones and checking Twitter to see what Branden had done.

After all, it was a rare occasion for someone as low-key as him to make a public statement. Branden had always maintained a low profile, with very few reports about him in the media. It was even challenging to find a single photo of him.

Occasionally, Branden could be seen at international economic forums during some global summits.

Just as online discussions were focused on how Catherine knew so many people, an official Twitter account with no connection to the entertainment industry suddenly retweeted Catherine’s Twitter post. It drew the attention of the public.

The only official Twitter account of the Duncan Corporation had shared Catherine’s tweet on Twitter with a simple comment. “Support!”

The Duncan Corporation was known for its formality and seriousness, and its official account typically only retweeted the company’s official activities. Now, it was sharing Catherine’s tweet, who was a relatively unknown individual in the entertainment industry.

Twitter went wild in an instant. People started digging into Catherine’s background to understand why she had received so much support from prominent figures.

After Grayson posted his tweet, he happened to come across Branden’s tweet. He gave a bitter smile and handed his phone to the agent who had been preventing him from tweeting further.

“Even without me, Catherine can still handle it. She is more powerful and impressive than you’ve imagined.”

The agent glanced at Grayson’s phone and was stunned. He was well aware of the Duncans. It was one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in Zerwick. Their official Twitter account was now publicly supporting Catherine. It was evident that they wouldn’t let anything happen to Catherine.

The agent had been trying to prevent Grayson from offending his fans over an artist with little fame. He thought his approach was correct, but he never expected Catherine to have such a powerful backing.

This time, he had truly miscalculated. The agent hesitated and wanted to explain. He said, “Grayson, I think…”

Grayson raised his hand to silence the agent and didn’t give him an opportunity to speak. Grayson smirked at his agent with a face filled with mockery, and his eyes were cold. He stood up with one hand in his pocket and walked away.

As he watched Grayson’s haughty figure depart, the agent realized that he had indeed offended Grayson this time.

He knew that he had offended Grayson, but he had no idea how sad Grayson was. Grayson resented his own lack of strength and realized that he wasn’t as powerful as Branden. Even if Grayson had tweeted, it wouldn’t have made any difference.

Catherine glanced at the Twitter account of the Duncan Corporation and frowned. She then turned to Branden beside her and raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

Branden understood her intent. He had originally planned to create his own Twitter account and retweet Catherine’s message.

However, he believed that it was too early to make their relationship public. Catherine was still in school, and it was better to be cautious.

Time was on their side, and there was no rush.

They could take things slowly.

Chapter 366 Apologies to Catherine

Catherine originally planned to put down her phone and take a break. Then, she received a message from Ronin.

[Catherine, Grayson just tweeted. Take a look!]

Upon seeing the message, Catherine opened Twitter. She didn’t have to search. Grayson’s tweet was already at the top of her feed.

She clicked on it. Then, she saw Grayson’s tweet. Grayson’s Twitter handle was simple. It was just Grayson Clifford. Ten minutes ago, he posted a long tweet with two pictures.

Grayson posted the tweet. “That year, we were both eight years old. Thank you for bringing me back to the real world.”

The first picture showed an adoption certificate with Vicente as the adoptive parent. The second picture featured two children. The boy looked handsome, and the girl, though incredibly beautiful, had a hint of an awe- inspiring and dashing aura.

Grayson’s fans all knew Grayson didn’t have a family. From rags to riches, Grayson had achieved everything through his own hard work, with no one’s help.

But what his fans didn’t know was that Catherine had adopted Grayson when he was a child. When Catherine was just a child herself, she adopted Grayson.

Because she was too young to handle the formal adoption process, Vicente handled the adoption paperwork for Grayson, just like he did for Ronin.

In Grayson’s view, there was no Grayson without Catherine.

Like Ronin, he called Catherine affectionately. Catherine had always been exceptionally intelligent, even as a child. Both of them had grown up with Catherine.

Ronin had joined the family earlier. Ronin had been by Catherine’s side since he was five years old. It was hard for outsiders to believe that when Catherine was a child, she had taken care of two children around her age.

But it was the truth. They were grateful to Catherine, and they cared for Catherine more than anyone else. They knew better than anyone that they wouldn’t be where they were today without Catherine.

Grayson’s dedicated fans were moved to tears by Grayson’s Twitter post. In the comments section, fans were in deep lamentation. They expressed their empathy for Grayson’s struggles.

They were especially sympathetic to Grayson, who, under pressure and threats from various online users, had decided to reveal his past. Forcing himself to confront the pain from his past was such a cruel thing to do.

The fans made numerous comments. A user with the handle “Only Love Peerless Grayson” posted a comment. ” Wow. I can’t believe Catherine was Peerless Grayson’s savior! No wonder Peerless Grayson is so good to her. They are childhood friends. I’m in awe!

Another user with the handle “Lifetime Admiration” posted a comment. “This is heartbreaking. What did Peerless Grayson do to deserve this?”

A user with the handle “Grayson’s National Fan Club President” posted a comment. “A few photos are supposed to prove cheating? If you have evidence, show it! To push someone to this extent is ruthless! Someone who helped Peerless Grayson when he was so young would never cheat over a minor competition!”

“What they said above is so true!”

The Twitter feed was in chaos. Some fans went on a frenzy to defend Grayson and Catherine after Grayson posted the tweet.

However, there were still those who felt that these posts didn’t prove that Grayson didn’t help Catherine cheat. Instead, it testified to their close relationship.

After the celebrities and Grayson posted their tweets on Twitter, the official account of the competition finally joined in.

The official account of the SKD Intercollegiate Competition posted a tweet. “To ensure the fairness of the competition, the rules of the event are all formulated by the event committee, and the selection of the cards is arranged personally by the event chairman. Whether it’s event mentors or participants, no one has the opportunity to know in advance which card they will draw.”

Subsequently, two other mentors also retweeted the official Twitter post of the competition and confirmed this fact. As mentors, they also had no opportunity to know in advance. Since none of the mentors had that chance, it was natural that Grayson had no opportunity, either.

This proved that Catherine did not cheat. The fans finally had favorable evidence, and Grayson’s devoted supporters launched a fierce counterattack.

Audrey’s fans believed that since Audrey and Catherine were sisters, it was not wrong for Audrey to cheer on Catherine in a competition.

The hashtag “Apologies to Catherine” gained momentum and trended on social media. Many netizens started apologizing voluntarily, but a small, stubborn faction resisted.

However, their resistance posed no real threat, as Grayson’s powerful fanbase exposed them one by one and forced them to apologize to Catherine.

Catherine finished browsing her phone and was about to put it away.

Branden, who had gone to heat milk for her, suddenly returned and stared at her phone screen.

For some reason, Catherine had a nagging feeling of being caught red- handed.

She casually tossed her phone aside, but Branden picked it up again.

He stared at the screen for a while and lowered his gaze to Catherine.

In his deep eyes, he had a meaningful look as he watched Catherine.

After a long pause, Branden finally spoke in a voice with a hint of sorrow and concern, “We haven’t even taken a photo together.”

Catherine was genuinely taken aback, and then, it hit her.

Branden was feeling jealous.

She looked up and gazed intently at Branden before her with her beautiful eyes.

“So, you’re jealous?”

Branden didn’t say a word and maintained a stern expression. Catherine raised her hand and gently placed it on Branden’s shoulder.

With a slight pull toward her, she brought Branden closer.

Her rosy lips met his thin lips with pinpoint accuracy. The kiss was brief, which left Branden with no chance to savor it.

Afterward, Catherine let go of him and gazed playfully at Branden. Her beautiful eyes were filled with mischief as she stared at him.

“Still jealous now?”

She was so beautiful, and her gaze was so captivating.

It made Branden feel uncomfortable all over.

He knew it wasn’t the right time, so he had to bear it.

Even with strong self-control, he was enduring immense pain. He now understood that some people were destined to be his lifelong nemesis. Noticing his change in complexion, Catherine didn’t realize the power of a simple kiss.

She purposely extended her hand and gently ran her fingers over his face. Then, she gently caressed it back and forth.

After that, with a mischievous tone, she asked, “So, are you still jealous?”

Branden’s deep eyes darkened instantly. Catherine was really playing with fire. He wasn’t sure if he should be impressed by her trust in him or be annoyed by her boldness.

On the verge of exploding, Branden managed to hold back. He spoke in a hushed tone, “Get some rest. I have to go to work.”

After that, as he turned to leave, he heard the laughter behind him.

It sounded arrogant and satisfied.

Branden couldn’t help but smile wryly with affection.

He didn’t care more about that photo and the so-called childhood friends. He had gotten his girl right here in his arms. No one could take her away.

If anyone dared to make a move, he would deal with them personally.

Chapter 367 A Video

The next day, when Ronin woke up, he found a video on his phone. He was originally pondering who had such great capabilities to send a video to his phone without being in his contacts.

However, he didn’t plan to investigate the sender after he started the video. He just wanted to thank this kind person.

Now that the rumors about Catherine’s cheating had been cleared up online, those who had once insulted Catherine had realized the fact. But this wasn’t enough. They hadn’t caught the real mastermind yet.

The timing of the video was perfect. It was taken from a dimly lit area behind the stage with a surveillance camera.

Although the video was a bit blurry and the lighting was low, he could still make out the contents of the video.

Most importantly, the person hiding behind the curtain was also captured on video. The video was somewhat unclear, and it would be hard for anyone who wasn’t familiar with the person to recognize her.

But that outfit was too distinctive, and Ronin recognized her at a glance. He never expected Liana to have such skills. She had been quite audacious to frame Catherine. Did she really think he was an easy target?

Ronin forwarded the video to Catherine and waited for Catherine’s reply.

A few minutes later, Catherine responded with just three words, [Up to you!]

Ronin was overjoyed. He had wanted to deal with Liana for a long time. But he had held back because of her relationship with Catherine. Now he had the perfect opportunity, and he wasn’t about to miss it.

Ronin brought out his computer and focused on managing it. He uploaded the video to the internet and used multiple anonymous accounts to push the video to the forefront.

Grayson’s fans had been looking for an outlet to vent their frustration, and the appearance of the video finally gave them one.

They realized that it was Liana’s plot. With the guidance of enthusiastic internet users, this group of crazy fans found Liana’s Twitter.

They even doxxed Liana and exposed her relationship with Catherine. Topics like “Scheming Bitch Jealous of Her Overachieving Sister” immediately trended on Twitter.

Because of the sensitive relationship between Catherine and Liana, it attracted even more attention.

Liana had suddenly become famous, but it was for all the wrong reasons. At the same time, Liana was at the Swanns’ in Casier.

Liana was brought back to the Swanns’ by Rachael, and as soon as she walked in, she saw Korbin, who was sitting in the living room with a dark expression. She was so scared that she shrank behind Rachael. Rachael also didn’t look too pleased.

She had been dealing with enough headaches recently due to her son’s issues, and Liana’s actions were an unexpected addition.

Korbin’s anger flared up when he saw Liana. He lifted his head and glared at Liana with sharp eyes. “You’ve got the nerve to come back here after all the trouble you’ve caused!”

Liana had always been the pride of the family, and she had never experienced such a situation. She quickly knelt on the floor. With tears in her eyes, she looked at her father and pitifully pleaded, “Dad, please help me. I’ve been framed by someone. I really have been framed!”

“Framed? Do you mean the video is fake, and someone deliberately impersonated you to frame you?” Korbin questioned her sternly.

He was aware of the conflicts between his two daughters, but they had always been minor, just typical squabbles between sisters. Even if it escalated, it was usually resolved with a call to the school.

Korbin didn’t mind those little disputes, but now it had gone public and grown into such a big issue. The employees of the Swann Corporation were all aware of this. It tarnished his reputation.

Due to the attacks on Liana, the Swann Corporation’s reputation had been damaged, and it had started to affect some ongoing projects. This was something Korbin couldn’t tolerate, and what frustrated him even more was Liana’s foolishness.

How could she let such a minor incident become a public spectacle? She was so foolish.

Now, he was in a critical phase of his career in Oceanvile. Such news came out. It was absolutely infuriating.

Rachael sighed in frustration. While Liana was in the wrong, just the thought of Catherine made Rachael itch with anger.

“Liana, apologize to your father. You don’t realize that your actions have damaged the company’s projects!”

Her words sounded like advice, but they were more of a reminder. Liana suddenly understood the reason for her father’s intense anger. In her father’s eyes, nothing came before their family’s interests.

He had even sent Catherine to the countryside because he believed that Catherine’s bad luck would hinder the Swanns’ progress. Once she realized her father’s priorities, Liana quickly devised a strategy to address the situation.

“Dad, I’ve truly been wronged. The mastermind behind this isn’t me. It’s Emma from the Hazels in Oceanvile, the one you met before.”

When Liana mentioned Emma, Korbin momentarily struggled to recall who that was, but as soon as she mentioned the Hazels in Oceanvile, he remembered.

“Why is the Hazels involved again?”

Liana swiftly brought up her Twitter on her phone and handed it to her father. ” Dad, look. This is Emma’s uncle. Without the influence of the Hazels in the entertainment industry, how could it have escalated to this?

“Emma is a fan of a celebrity named Grayson, who has some connection to Catherine. Grayson was one of the children Grandpa adopted. Emma was jealous of Catherine, and after the photos were accidentally taken, she exploited it, which led to this situation.

Surprisingly, there was more to the story than Korbin had originally thought. His expression was still grim, but it had softened somewhat compared to before.

Rachael took the opportunity to intercede. She spoke in Liana’s favor and offered many kind words.

“Korbin, Liana is our daughter. Do you really not understand her intentions? There might be a misunderstanding here. I’ve heard that the Hazels have a significant influence on the industry. We can’t let them throw all this mud at the Swanns.”

Regardless of the situation, Liana was still his daughter, and for the sake of the Swanns’ image, Korbin was willing to help Liana.

He had groomed his daughter into a young lady from a high-class background, with the hope that one day she would be able to assist the Swanns. He had a son. His daughter was just another pawn in his game.

After investing so much in her upbringing, Korbin couldn’t let her downfall be so easy. Once her reputation was ruined, it would be challenging for her to make a successful marriage.

“Liana, I will help you this time as long as you cooperate. I will deal with the Hazels, but if you ever make a mistake like this again, don’t blame me for disowning you as my daughter!”

Liana knew that Korbin would definitely follow through on his words. The fact that Korbin was willing to help was enough for her.

She quickly nodded without a hint of hesitation.

“Dad, rest assured. I will never make the same mistake again.”

Chapter 368 The Hazels

On that afternoon, the results of the competition were announced. Catherine’s team won the championship as expected. Their group had consistently received the highest scores from the judges.

Following this, there was a Twitter frenzy for the entire day. Grayson’s fans went crazy voting for Catherine’s team.

The casual observers misunderstood Catherine due to this incident. To show their remorse to Catherine, they cast all their votes for Catherine’s group.

Catherine’s team won by a landslide, with nearly double the votes of the second-place team. There was no doubt about their victory.

At the moment the results were revealed, Yesenia was the first to express her congratulations to the three of them in the group chat.

However, the three of them, being the ones directly involved, remained calm and composed.

For Catherine, the outcome wasn’t a surprise.

She had participated in the competition out of respect for their homeroom teacher. The homeroom teacher had always been supportive and kind to her. She was only returning the favor.

As for Ronin and Bryan, their sole reason for participating in the program was Catherine. The final rankings were of little importance to them. As long as they could be with Catherine, they were happy to do anything.

Winning the championship didn’t change much for them.

The only thing bothering them was the flood of calls from various talent agencies wanting to sign all three of them into the entertainment industry.

Catherine promptly shut her phone off and ignored the offers. Those who contacted Bryan, upon learning about Bryan’s background, wisely stopped bothering him.

After all, he is the young heir of the Duncans. If he wanted to enter the entertainment industry, he didn’t need these small agencies to recruit talent.

The Duncans could easily arrange for a company and help him debut.

With his exceptional family background and remarkable looks, Bryan would undoubtedly reach the pinnacle of stardom with ease.

As for Ronin, the people who called him were nearly driven to madness. Ronin was such a handful that after a series of bizarre interactions, no one dared to approach him.

Bryan and Ronin, along with the rest of the group, were getting ready to head back to Casier. However, Catherine had taken a week off and stayed behind in Oceanvile for some business.

Before leaving, Ronin stubbornly clung to Catherine.

“Catherine, I was only studying to accompany you. How about I take a week off as well and stay here with you?

Catherine turned her head and casually glanced at Ronin’s face. In an instant, Ronin calmed down and obediently compromised with Catherine.

“Alright, Catherine. I’ll go back to studying, and you can contact me anytime you need!”

Catherine nodded in response and waved him off. Ronin didn’t have a chance to stay, and neither did Bryan.

So, Bryan didn’t even bring up the idea and simply bid farewell to Catherine before boarding the plane. Once the two of them had left, Branden took Catherine’s hand and started leading her back.

“Where are you going?” He knew Catherine had some matters to attend to in Oceanvile, but he didn’t press for details. Catherine lazily swayed her body and replied, “Back to the hotel to sleep.”

Branden complied and guided her into the car. He instructed Paxton to drive them to the hotel. Catherine casually leaned back in the back seat and looked out at the bustling streets. Suddenly, she thought of something.

Without turning her head, she simply let her head droop and leaned against the car window. She looked incredibly relaxed.

She asked, “You didn’t go back to Oceanvile. Are you planning to stay here with me?”

Branden nodded and didn’t deny it.” It’s been a while since I visited our Oceanvile branch. This seemed like a good opportunity to come and check things out.”

Catherine didn’t want to be a hindrance to anyone.

Nor did she want to be accused of disrupting the Duncan Corporation. If Branden was willing to stay with her and even neglect his work, it might not be a good thing.

Hearing Branden’s words, Catherine felt a bit more at ease.

As she lay against the cold window, she didn’t move. Branden extended his hand to pull her into his embrace. He explained, “The window is too cold. You might catch a chill sticking to it.”

Catherine was so pliable, which allowed him to do as he pleased.

As long as he could handle everything and she didn’t have to think too much, she didn’t mind being arranged. Due to the situation involving Liana, Korbin reached out to the Hazels.

The Hazels had some connections with the Winfreds, but they didn’t have deep ties. After all, the Hazels were primarily known for their involvement in the world of art, with only limited ventures into the business sector.

When Korbin conveyed his intentions, the expressions on the faces of the Hazels members turned sour.

Korbin, who was always cunning, could easily be aware of the situation. Nevertheless, since the matter had escalated, someone had to take responsibility.

Korbin didn’t care who took the fall as long as it wasn’t the daughter of the Swanns. He explained Liana’s side of the story to Emma’s grandfather, Reece Hazel. After that, Reece frowned.

He had already heard about the incident to some extent. His nephew, who worked as a producer in the entertainment industry, had also been embroiled in it. It was all because Emma asked him to post a tweet.

But Reece was no fool. He understood the purpose behind Korbin’s visit.

With a smile, Reece looked at Korbin and said, “Mr. Swann, are you sure we can blame my granddaughter for this? After all, it was your younger daughter who took those pictures, and the evidence was quite clear on the internet.

Korbin chuckled. He wouldn’t have taken this step if he wasn’t confident.

“Mr. Hazel, you’re right. However, it’s important to know who fanned the flames and escalated the situation

behind the scenes. I’m sure you’re well aware of that. My daughter merely had a quarrel with her sister, which is a family matter. But Miss Hazel, for the sake of a performer in the entertainment industry, turned it into such a big issue. What do you think people will say?”

Reece’s face darkened. He pursed his lips and remained silent. He truly felt a mix of anger and love for his granddaughter.

He couldn’t help but love her because she was his granddaughter. But she was so headstrong. She had given up a promising future to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. It was all for the sake of a male celebrity.

Korbin noticed the change in Reece’s expression and had already made his calculations. He was certain that this matter couldn’t be blamed on Liana.

“Mr. Hazel, perhaps there’s one thing you’re not aware of. My second daughter has already been engaged to the young heir of the Duncans. It was a betrothal arranged by my late father and Mr. Karl.”

“The Duncans’ young heir, Branden?” Reece raised his head instantly with his eyes wide open. Korbin gave an ambiguous smile and nodded. “Exactly.”

Reece understood now. That’s why they couldn’t suppress the news, as the Duncans were interfering. The Duncans were not to be trifled with. Now, Reece wanted to know about the Swanns’ intentions.

Reece remained silent and waited for Korbin’s response. Korbin understood his meaning and straightforwardly revealed the purpose of his visit.

“It was all a misunderstanding. I will have my youngest daughter publicly clarify the situation. Mr. Hazel, I hope you can help us clear this up.”

The Swanns were coming to do business in Oceanvile and didn’t want to offend the local elite. While the Hazels weren’t directly involved in business, they held significant influence in Oceanvile.

Businesspeople preferred to have more friends than enemies. Moreover, the Hazels had a certain influence on the entertainment industry. If the Hazels were willing to intervene, the matter could be resolved satisfactorily.

The Swanns were already one of the Four Noble Families in Casier, and now, with their alliance with the Duncans, they had become even more influential.

Crossing them was something the Hazels couldn’t afford to do.

After contemplating for a moment, Reece agreed and replied, “Alright. We’ll handle it as you’ve suggested. In the future, our two families should continue to interact.”

Korbin, who was satisfied with the success of his plan, had a contented smile on his face.

“Exactly, Mr. Hazel. We should continue to engage with each other.”

Chapter 369 The Contract

These days, in Oceanvile, the Winfreds definitely had the toughest time. Xavier had a heap of problems on his plate. Even though he knew he had ruffled the feathers of the Hacker Alliance, he just couldn’t seem to focus on dealing with them right now.

And it didn’t seem like the Hacker Alliance was making any moves, so he had sort of brushed it off for the time being.

But little did he know that this time, the Hacker Alliance struck hard. By the time Xavier received the message, it was already too late.

The leader of Withalist from the Hacker Alliance personally intervened. The leader of Withalist caused quite a stir in the Winfreds’ projects and even made a public declaration to the entire Oceanvile.

Anyone who dared to assist the Winfreds would be considered an enemy of the Hacker Alliance. The Hacker Alliance was not one to do business with its enemies, and once one was on their blacklist, there was no chance of cooperation.

The Hacker Alliance’s influence was vast. For some tricky matters, people often needed to approach them. No one wanted to offend such a massive organization.

In just one day, Xavier couldn’t hold on any longer. The Winfreds’ financial chain broke, all their projects came to a halt, and they were losing hundreds of millions of dollars every day.

Xavier aged overnight, and his health deteriorated. To save the Winfreds, Xavier reached out to the leader of Withalist. However, the other party only agreed to communicate online and refused to meet in person.

Xavier had no choice but to accept, as he had heard that the Hacker Alliance members were shrouded in mystery. Many didn’t even know their gender.

After the screen link was established, it remained pitch-black. Xavier thought his computer was acting up and quickly asked his assistant, “What’s going on?”

Before the assistant could check, a cold and deep male voice came from the darkness of the screen.

“Xavier, you’ve got quite the nerve.”

Xavier realized that his conversation partner was using a blacked-out screen, and he shot a quick glance at his side to signal his assistant.

The assistant obediently left the room. After that, Xavier spoke with great deference, “Mr. Withal, this is all a misunderstanding. My son, in his ignorance, offended the Hacker Alliance. Mr. Withal, I humbly request your forgiveness.

“I was seriously ill recently and didn’t handle this matter properly. Mr. Withal, please grant the Winfreds another chance.”

After witnessing the Hacker Alliance’s capabilities, Xavier was well aware of the vast difference in power between the Winfreds and their opponent. He couldn’t afford to maintain a haughty attitude.

All he could do was bow down and apologize. It was something he had probably never done in his entire life.

“Xavier, offending the Hacker Alliance comes at a price. Do you understand?”

How could Xavier not know? In just a couple of days, the Winfreds’ assets had already plummeted by half. That was a heavy enough price.

“Mr. Withal, this time, it’s the Winfreds who have wronged the Hacker Alliance. We acknowledge our mistake! Please, show mercy and spare the Winfreds. The Winfreds are willing to bear the cost!”

Withal didn’t want to waste any more words. The instructions from Catherine were crystal clear, and he was following them.

“Xavier, since you’re willing to bear the cost, that’s good. I’ve sent you a contract on your computer. Sign it, and I’ll arrange for someone to collect it.”

After that, the screen disappeared entirely. Xavier hadn’t even had a chance to react before he heard a sound from his computer.

The Hacker Alliance excelled in computer skills. They could hack into even Alton’s national security agency, let alone his computer.

Xavier wasn’t surprised at all that they could transmit messages directly to him. When he opened the file and saw its contents, he nearly spat blood on the screen.

It was all because of his wayward son. If he hadn’t acted so arrogantly, the Winfreds wouldn’t have to endure this.

What was initially just a mining facility lent to the Hacker Alliance for three years had turned into a direct gift to the Hacker Alliance. Xavier had no room for negotiation.

Xavier understood that the longer he delayed signing this contract, the more losses the Winfreds would incur. So, he printed the contract, signed his name, and stamped it with his seal.

As he signed, Xavier’s hands trembled. He had never experienced such humiliation in his life. After signing, Xavier called his assistant in.

“Keep this document safe. If the Hacker Alliance’s people come tomorrow, hand this over to them.”

Xavier stared at the document. Once his assistant had put it away, he couldn’t contain his inner bitterness and fury any longer. He coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The assistant was startled. He hurriedly approached and checked on the situation. “Mr. Winfred, are you okay?”

Xavier felt like everything was going dark in front of his eyes, and before he could say anything, he fainted.

News of Xavier’s worsening condition quickly spread in Oceanvile. Upon hearing the news, Jeremy rushed back to the Winfreds’ with the butler. They also brought Erick, who had been imprisoned in the dungeon.

Time was of the essence, and Xavier was critically ill in bed. Jeremy knew he had a big problem on his hands. It was all because of his negligence with the Hacker Alliance.

Offending them had brought a colossal disaster upon the Winfreds. The only way out now was to wake Xavier up.

As long as he was conscious, there was a glimmer of hope for the Winfreds. On the Hacker Alliance’s side, due to Xavier’s concession, they had temporarily halted their attacks on the Winfreds. This gave the Winfreds a moment of relief.

With Xavier incapacitated, Jeremy took charge as the head of the Winfreds. In Oceanvile, their influence within the city allowed them to handle certain matters more easily.

Jeremy immediately contacted the hospital to arrange a kidney transplant for Xavier. At the hospital, the doctors suggested conducting a comprehensive examination on Erick.

Upon hearing the doctor’s suggestion, Jeremy grew impatient and asked, ” Didn’t he just have one not long ago? How long will a new examination take?

The doctor replied, “It will take at least 48 hours.”

Jeremy was in a hurry, and he couldn’t wait that long.

“Forget the examination. It’s been less than a month since the last one. His health won’t have changed significantly.”

Knowing that Erick was going to provide a kidney for Xavier, Jeremy refrained from causing him serious harm.

He only allowed minor injuries and made sure Erick received medical treatment afterward, so Erick was currently in good health.

The doctor wanted to object, but Jeremy’s temper flared up, and no one dared to oppose him. He angrily told the doctor, “Do you want to stay at this hospital or not? I’ll tell you what to do, and you’ll do it!”

This was a private hospital where the Winfreds held a significant stake. For Jeremy, removing a doctor was a simple matter.

The doctor didn’t dare to provoke Jeremy and followed his instructions. After the doctor left, the butler carefully considered the situation and felt it wasn’t right. He intended to offer a suggestion to Jeremy, but before he could speak, Jeremy interrupted him.

“Donald, I know what you’re going to say, but there’s no need to. Saving my father is the top priority, and we can’t waste a minute. As long as my father is awake, we can handle anything.”

The butler understood that as long as Xavier woke up, there was hope for the Winfreds. So, he didn’t try to persuade Jeremy further.

Chapter 370 Meeting with Catherine

After receiving the contract from the Winfreds, Withal immediately contacted Catherine. Not all members of the base had the chance to contact Catherine. If Withal hadn’t come to Oceanvile on this mission, he wouldn’t have had the chance to contact Catherine.

Catherine planned to give herself a year’s vacation this time and had issued an order that no one should disturb her. She could only be contacted through absolutely secret single-line contact.

Withal only learned through Ronin that Catherine was also in Oceanvile. He couldn’t wait to call Catherine, waiting for her to connect.

Branden went to the branch office in Oceanvile, while Catherine was a bit bored at the hotel by herself.

Her phone rang. Looking at the special symbol after the unfamiliar phone number on her screen, Catherine knew who was looking for her and knew it must have been Ronin who gave her contact information to the caller.

If there was no important matter, Ronin would not have given her contact information to others. Catherine pressed the hands-free button and

casually threw the phone aside. A clear man’s voice came from the other end of the phone, sounding as if he was still a bit excited.

“Catherine, is that you?”

“Go ahead. What’s it?” Catherine asked simply. On the other end of the phone, after Withal confirmed that the person answering the call was Catherine, he became even more excited.

He was even more tense than when he was asked to negotiate alone in the armed opposition organization, and he could even hear his own heartbeat at that moment.

He hesitated for a while. He was nervous but worried about missing this great opportunity, so he mustered the courage to say, “Catherine, I’m also in Oceanvile. Can we meet up?”

Catherine knew that Withal was in Oceanvile because it was she who had arranged for him to be there. She naturally knew the situation.

Since they were in the same city, Catherine decided to agree to meet Withal.

“Okay.”

Hearing Catherine’s response, Withal froze for a moment. It took him a while before he came back to his senses and responded, “Ca- Catherine, you agreed?”

He stuttered when he spoke, and Catherine couldn’t help but laugh. ” Message me the time and address. I’m going to hang up if there’s nothing else!

Without hearing the other party’s response, Catherine hung up the phone. A beep came from the other end of the phone, followed by silence.

It took Withal a long time to react to the fact that Catherine had actually agreed to meet him and allowed the place and time to be set by him.

Catherine originally thought she would have to go out immediately. After all, Withal was always decisive and agile in his actions and didn’t like to procrastinate.

Unexpectedly, she only received Withal’s message after an hour. Branden would be back soon, and Catherine left a note on the cabinet before leaving to meet Withal.

With the help of the map’s instructions, Catherine found the address given by Withal. It was quite a remote place, so it would be hard to find without a map.

[Catherine, I’m at the second table on the left side of the door!]

Catherine walked through the door and sat down at the second table on the left.

There was a young boy sitting opposite her and he looked not much older than Catherine. He was wearing a black t- shirt, which stood in stark contrast to his fair, somewhat glowing skin.

His skin was not only particularly fair but also particularly transparent. His blue veins and blood vessels could be seen exceptionally clearly, indicating that he belonged to a gloomy boy who did not like to bask in the sun all year round.

Withal kept looking anxiously toward the door, but suddenly, a little girl sat opposite him. She had a good figure but was wearing a peaked cap, and Withal couldn’t see her full face. However, Withal was not interested in this girl. He said bluntly, “The seat is taken. Please leave!”

The reason why Withal said it bluntly and nonchalantly was because this was already the fifth girl who had taken the initiative to sit opposite him.

From the moment he arrived at this restaurant and sat down, he had been annoyed by girls sitting down and talking to him.

If it were a normal day, perhaps he would chat with them for the sake of their appearance. But today was his big day to meet Catherine, and he wouldn’t allow any slip-ups!

What if Catherine saw him chatting up with other girls and thought he didn’t respect her? He would be done for. Listening to Withal’s tone of cold rejection, Catherine wanted to laugh.

She lowered her voice and said, ” Hamza!”

Seeing that Catherine had no intention of leaving, Withal had originally prepared to drive her away, but before he could say anything, he heard Catherine call out his name.

Now, Withal completely froze. He was the head of the Withalist, nicknamed Withal, and those who knew him would call him Withal. His real name was Hamza Shelton, and this was the top-secret information of the base.

Currently, only Catherine knew about it.

Then, the girl must be Catherine, right?

He stared at Catherine in a daze, and after a long time, he exclaimed with uncertainty, “Catherine?”

“Mmm!” Catherine nodded slightly.

Withal had only been in contact with her online before and had not seen her before. Catherine knew the information about everyone on the base.

As long as she had taken a look at someone’s information, there was no one she couldn’t remember, so she knew Withal’s details very well.

Catherine was wearing a peaked cap, and Withal needed to slightly lower his head to see her appearance.

After quietly examining Catherine, he was shocked and couldn’t help but mutter inwardly, “Oh my god. Catherine is really amazing. Does she have the ability to make herself look youthful? She looks like an underaged girl. But the aura she emits is really amazing.”

If Catherine hadn’t looked too young, Withal wouldn’t have been so shocked.

After confirming Catherine’s identity, Withal scratched his head awkwardly and said, “Sorry, Catherine. I didn’t recognize you. You look too young and even younger than me, so I didn’t dare to think that you’re Catherine.”

Catherine’s expression was calm. Her whole body leaned back on the sofa, and her posture was very casual, exuding a cold and lazy atmosphere.

“You’re not wrong. I’m indeed a few years younger than you!”

“What? A few years younger than me?” Withal thought to himself secretly and swallowed the water he had just taken a sip.

Upon hearing Catherine’s words, he almost spat the water out of his mouth in surprise.

In order not to scare Catherine, he forced himself to swallow the water and almost choked himself to death. His face turned red!

Catherine was actually younger than him?

Catherine, who seemed to be omnipotent and even like a god, was actually a little girl a few years younger than him.

Seeing Withal being surprised, Catherine ignored him. She came out in a hurry and hadn’t eaten yet. Calling the waiter, she ordered a few dishes randomly.

After the dishes were ordered, Withal was still looking confused. Catherine reached out and tapped on the table.

“Hey, wake up!”

Her cold voice pulled Withal’s drifting thoughts back slowly. Withal was surprised to have such a gain from his visit to Oceanvile this time.

Not only did he meet Catherine, but he also knew so many secrets that a thrill ran through his heart.

“Catherine, you’re amazing!”

Catherine wasn’t there to listen to his flattery. She had things to do. “Has the matter with the Winfreds been resolved?”

Seeing Catherine speaking seriously, Withal immediately corrected his attitude. He took out the contract placed aside and placed it in front of Catherine.

“Catherine, this is the contract signed by the Winfreds. Please take a look!”