Ch. 471..480
Chapter 471 Cutting off Ties
Korbin knew it in his heart, but he wasn’t the least bit afraid of the two girls. He frowned and spoke in a low, menacing voice.
“Why does this sound so harsh? Don’t want to come here? No one invited you. The entrance is over there, so get lost!”
Seeing her dad still holding onto such an attitude till now, Audrey felt even more sorrow in her heart. She couldn’t hold back anymore and loudly questioned Korbin.
“So, you’re admitting it was all your doing, right?”
Korbin glanced coldly at Audrey.” Admit what?
“You may throw your tantrum elsewhere, but this is not the place for you to go nuts!”
“Hmph…” Catherine sneered on the side silently, saying inwardly, “This couple is truly a perfect match. Even their lines are almost the same.”
She sarcastically remarked, “Some people have the audacity to do things but lack the courage to admit it, huh!”
This sentence instantly angered Korbin.
“What do I have to be afraid to admit?
“Could I be afraid of those two little girls?” he said inwardly. He gave Audrey a wicked stare, his gaze becoming increasingly intense.
“Okay, fine. I admit it was me. So what are you going to do about it?”
He was being so cocky, fearless, not taking it seriously at all. Audrey was completely enraged. She approached with a blank expression and fixated her gaze firmly on Korbin.
After a while, she finally spoke. The tremble in her voice was evident.
“Have you even considered us as your daughters?”
Korbin still maintained the same poker face with not a shred of guilt on it.
“Then you should ask yourselves if you have treated me as your father.”
“For so many years, I’ve always respected and loved you and seen you as the person I admire. But today, Father, you really disappointed me. You did things that not even an animal would do, do you know that?” added Audrey.
When Audrey finished speaking, Korbin smacked her hard across the face without hesitation. His force was so powerful that it directly knocked Audrey down.
Audrey propped herself up on her elbow, glanced at Catherine out of the corner of her eye, and motioned for Catherine not to move.
She wanted to settle this matter with Korbin by herself.
After Korbin slapped Audrey, his anger still did not subside. He then proceeded to scold Audrey.
“Brat! How dare you talk to me like that? From now on, you’re not my daughter anymore. You will never be my daughter!”
“Hmph…” Audrey laughed out loud. ” Well said. That’s exactly what I had in mind. Since you never treated me like a daughter, from now on, I am just Grandpa’s granddaughter, Catherine’s sister, Audrey Swann, But I am no longer your daughter!”
Audrey slowly stood up, her gaze fixed directly on Korbin.
“For the sake of your own interests, you used me as a pawn to threaten Catherine and even wanted to kill her just to grab her wealth. Someone like you does not deserve to be my father!”
“You…” Korbin was fuming and about to hit Audrey once again.
However, Audrey did not allow him to lay a hand on her this time.
She quickly looked up and caught Korbin’s arm. Her eyes instantly became cold and emotionless.
“You were still my father just now, and I let you scold and hit me. Now, we have absolutely no relationship. So, if you dare to lay a hand on me again, don’t blame me for being disrespectful! Hmph!”
Audrey forcefully pushed away Korbin’s hand. Korbin was stunned by this sudden change in Audrey’s behavior and fell to the ground due to his delayed reaction.
Rachael was totally shocked by what she saw and finally understood why Audrey had suddenly changed. It was all because of this.
But in her opinion, Korbin didn’t do anything wrong.
It was all her daughters’ fault.
She helped Korbin up and then angrily glared at Audrey, scolding her.
“Audrey, you used to be a good girl. Now that you’ve been hanging out with this jinx, your brain has become muddled, and you even dare to defy us. Do you still see us as your parents?”
Audrey looked at Rachael coldly.”
Mother, didn’t you hear just now? Korbin had someone kidnapped me to use as a threat against Catherine and to make her sign the equity transfer agreement.”
Rachael sounded a bit impatient as she spoke. “I heard it. I heard it all!
“Since your father asked you to do something, why aren’t you assisting him? Instead, you’re working with this jinx! Aren’t you being disrespectful to your father?”
Rachael’s twisted morality certainly opened Audrey’s eyes.
Audrey thought Rachael didn’t know about it before but didn’t expect her to say something so heartless after knowing the truth. It was totally inhumane.
“Even if we’re strangers who have nothing to do with each other, she shouldn’t do things like that. And to think we’re family!” thought Audrey.
Audrey felt her heart break at that moment. She decided not to allow them to hurt herself, and most importantly, she could not let them continue to hurt Catherine.
“Mom, since you’re so insistent, I guess you don’t want me as your daughter anymore. Well then, I have no connection with you from now on.”
Rachael was totally shocked. She didn’t expect Audrey, who was usually obedient, to say such things.
“You little ingrate! I’ve wasted all this effort raising you!”
Audrey lowered her head without saying a word. Giving up on her relationship with her parents, she felt more sorrowful than anyone else.
Rachael saw right through Audrey’s mind. She knew for sure that she couldn’t let Audrey switch sides and cut ties with them.
Her parents warned her beforehand that perhaps Audrey would become a weapon to restrain Catherine.
She absolutely wouldn’t allow Audrey to become such an ingrate.
“What about all the knowledge and principles you learned since a young age, Audrey? Did you forget them all? You accuse us of being cold-hearted. What about you? Are you anything better for turning against your parents?
“I worked hard to raise you, only for you to become my enemy?”
Rachael’s scolding made Audrey’s head hang even lower.
Catherine saw through Rachael’s little trick at a glance and spoke calmly at the side.
“Mrs. Swann, don’t talk so highly of yourself. What else have you done besides carrying Audrey in your belly for ten months?”
Catherine was not exaggerating in the slightest with this point. After Audrey was born, Rachael got a shot to stop her milk production immediately so she could maintain her figure.
Plus, Audrey was a girl and was not liked by Rachael. So, Audrey grew up under the care of a nanny since she was young, and she was also drinking formula milk.
Rachael had never even spent a day taking care of Audrey. In her mind, high -society women didn’t personally take care of their children. That was what nannies were for.
She was just trying to make Audrey feel guilty when she said that earlier. Upon realizing that Audrey’s emotions had changed, Rachael grew to hate Catherine so much that she wished to strangle Catherine right then and there.
“You’re a total disaster. I shouldn’t have even brought you into this world. You’re nothing but a jinx!”
“Hmph!” Catherine nodded vigorously in agreement with a mischievous and chilling smile. “You’re right. You shouldn’t have given birth to me in the first place!”
After speaking, she put away her smile and resumed her cold expression.
“Audrey, leave now. I have to talk to them!”
Chapter 472 The Big Boss
Audrey’s leaving made the Swanns’ living room much quieter.
Facing Catherine, Rachael was even more rude. In her eyes, Catherine was nothing but a complete troublemaker.
“You jinx, why don’t you just leave? What on earth do you want?”
Hearing the noise, Catherine slowly sat up, her sharp gaze shooting straight at Rachael’s face.
“I will leave, but make sure you pay your price!”
Upon hearing this, Rachael looked at her suspiciously and felt that something was off. Catherine’s expression gave her a very bad premonition.
“What nonsense are you talking about? Is there any unfinished business between us? Just get lost now!”
“Hmph…” Catherine let out a cold, contemptuous laugh with a chillingly indifferent expression.
“Kidnapping, drugging, violent threats…” She suddenly looked up and stared directly at Korbin with a cold and terrifyingly sharp gaze, exuding an overwhelming sense of power.
When Korbin was glanced at by her, his heart involuntarily skipped a beat, leaving him momentarily breathless with astonishment.
He didn’t expect a young girl like her to have such a sharp gaze.
At that moment, Korbin realized something belatedly.
Perhaps the daughter before him was not as unbearable and mediocre as he had imagined.
But it was too late now.
After calming down, Korbin still maintained a proud attitude toward Catherine.
At that point, there wasn’t really anything he couldn’t admit.
“Catherine, don’t blame me for being tough on you. You were born lucky to become my daughter. If you don’t act recklessly, disobey me, and foolishly try to take everything from me, I can still give you a wealthy life!”
Korbin was very confident and believed that no one would refuse to become a daughter of the Swanns.
Only with great luck could one become a child of the Swanns.
As she heard the speech of the unrepentant and shameless Korbin, Catherine’s eyes filled with an even deeper hint of amusement.
“Even on the verge of disaster, this old geezer still refuses to repent.
“Why did my grandfather have such an evil child?” thought Catherine. Rachael joined in on the argument against Catherine when she saw her husband angrily confronting Catherine.
“That’s right, Catherine. You were born to bring trouble upon us. We didn’t kill you back then, and instead, we let you live comfortably until now. You should be grateful to us.
“You’re now turning on us. Catherine, you’re nothing but a total backstabber! “said Rachael.
“Is fighting back equivalent to backstabbing?
“I had indeed witnessed how distorted Rachael’s values were today.
“No wonder Liana and Johnathan, who are close to her, have such personalities. With a mother like that, it’s a miracle they can be normal people!” said Catherine inwardly.
Seeing Catherine look at them with a cold smile and remain silent, Rachael always felt that something was off, thinking that Catherine must have some ulterior motive.
She made up her mind to unleash her final ace up her sleeve.
She looked at Catherine with a proud expression. The smile at the corner of her mouth carried a hint of arrogance.
“Catherine, do you think you’ve won?
“Based on the bond that you have lived in my womb for ten months, I advise you to stop quickly. Spit out the shares of the Swanns. Otherwise, I’m afraid you will regret it and cry to me for help, but I won’t give you the chance!”
“Oh… is that so?” Catherine raised an eyebrow and gave a meaningful look at Rachael. “Seems like you’re pretty confident that you can handle me.
“Spill it. What kind of trick are you up to this time?
“You failed in deceiving and lost money when transferring assets. Even kidnapping didn’t work. What else can you do?”
Catherine’s arrogant demeanor truly infuriated Rachael. What she detested the most was Catherine’s arrogance, recklessness, and not treating her seriously.
“Catherine, do you really think that you can live peacefully just because you have obtained those properties? The Swanns is such a prominent family. Do you really believe that a country bumpkin like you can control it?
“I am not afraid to tell you. I already have hired some top-notch experts in the industry. If you don’t obediently hand over the Swann Corporation, they’ll team up and turn it upside down in a flash. Do you believe me or not?”
Speaking of this, Rachael seemed quite pleased with herself.
All this was thanks to her father, who had students all over the world. Because of Catherine’s matter, Rachael’s dad stepped in and personally reached out to some people for her.
These people were all big shots in various industries, including the representatives of the Chritie region for the top five financial consortiums in Halleywick. As long as they took action, Catherine’s days would be tough.
Catherine was looking at Rachael with a cold eye.
“Does this woman really think I’m blind and unaware of all her secret actions?
“Absolutely ridiculous!” she said inwardly. She opened her phone and projected the screen onto the white wall in front.
Her chin pointed toward Rachael as a gesture.
Rachael didn’t know what Catherine was up to again, but her eyes couldn’t help but look in the direction that Catherine was gesturing.
The screen, with a fleeting pause, was finally connected, and then the face of a diligent and handsome middle-aged man appeared on it.
The moment she saw who it was, Rachael couldn’t control the shock in her heart, and her eyes widened. She instinctively opened her mouth.
“Isn’t this…”
The guy on the screen was none other than the Chritie regional representative that Rachael met recently, who she thought was her ultimate ace in the hole.
Various thoughts were rapidly swirling in her head, and then she came to a conclusion. She suddenly turned around and stared at Catherine with wide eyes.
“Little brat! Are you poaching from me behind my back?”
“Hmph!” Catherine snorted coldly without responding.
Catherine’s attitude made Rachael so angry that she screamed at the screen.
“Pete, you’ve got no professional ethics. After working with me first, how could you work with that brat?
“How much did that girl benefit you?”
Pete was completely taken aback by Rachael’s aggressive attack. He indeed had previously met Rachael and agreed to work together.
It was mainly because Rachael’s offer was just too damn attractive for anyone to resist. Pete furrowed his brows and stared at the screen. He appeared puzzled as he asked, “Mrs. Swann, what are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
“You still don’t understand?” Rachael gritted her teeth angrily, tossing aside her image as a wealthy socialite.
She pointed at Catherine and angrily shouted, “You’ve even teamed up with this girl, don’t you understand?”
Pete was pale with fright when he saw Rachael treat Catherine with such a fierce attitude.
“Mrs. Swann, why are you giving our group’s shareholders such a bad attitude? She is our highest-level investment advisor. If you want this deal to go smoothly, you better ask Miss Catherine for guidance!”
As long as Catherine agreed to take on this project, fulfilling Rachael’s request would be a piece of cake.
Rachael was perplexed.
“What is this white-skinned Pete Hester saying?
“Miss Catherine? Investment advisor?” she wondered.
Chapter 473 Catherine’s Genius
Rachael was so shocked that her eyes nearly popped out. Her lips quivered as she complained, “What did you say? Is Catherine a shareholder in your company? Is she your top-level advisor?
“Are you telling me to rely on this girl to take down the Swann Corporation?”
Pete nodded solemnly. He looked at Rachael with a stern expression that made it clear he wasn’t joking.
“Mrs. Swann, let me be clear with my professionalism. To achieve the least amount of loss in this collaboration, we need Miss Catherine and no one else.”
Rachael laughed in anger. “Pete, do you even know who this girl is?”
Pete was also perplexed. Seeing Catherine sitting next to Rachael, he thought they might know each other.
If they did, Rachael hadn’t needed to approach him in the first place. Before Rachael could respond, Catherine casually spoke up.
Catherine said, “Pete, it’s quite a coincidence. I inherited my grandfather’s company six months ago. This company happens to be the Swann Corporation.”
Her attractive, lazy voice had a special charm to it.
Pete initially thought of congratulating Catherine, and maybe even currying favor with her. After all, Catherine was not easy to meet. However, he couldn’t hide his surprise when he heard the rest of Catherine’s statement.
He never expected that Rachael would come to him for help to deal with Catherine. For him, it felt like a death sentence with no way out.
Pete couldn’t help but wonder if he had unknowingly offended Rachael in some way, leading to this kind of retaliation.
“Mrs. Swann, have I offended you?”
Rachael hadn’t fully processed the situation yet, as everything happened too suddenly.
Ignoring Rachael’s daze, Pete continued, “If that’s the case, why would you set me up like this? Don’t you realize that if I upset Miss Catherine, my career might be over?”
He was stating it lightly, but if he really offended Catherine, his life could potentially be ruined.
Before Pete could press Rachael further, Catherine tapped her phone and turned off the screen.
The moment the screen went dark, Rachael finally snapped back to reality. She stared at Catherine in confusion. She struggled to accept everything that had just unfolded.
“Who are you?” Rachael questioned Catherine in a dazed manner.
Even Korbin was left dumbfounded, let alone Rachael.
He could tell that Pete had not been lying. If that were the case, Catherine was really a shareholder of one of the five major conglomerates. What was her true identity?
Seeing the skepticism on their faces, Catherine lifted a corner of her mouth faintly.
“No need to doubt. I am Catherine.”
She knew that Rachael and Korbin suspected her to be an imposter, who tried to seize the Swanns’ wealth under the guise of Catherine. At this point, Catherine decided to reveal the truth.
After all, she had never intended to hide, but these people simply couldn’t find out. It was they that lacked the ability. They couldn’t blame anyone for that.
“Every year, Vicente goes to our family estate in Westain for a month. In truth, he’s not going to Westain. He’s going to see me…”
The Swanns originated in Westain, and Vicente had built a villa in Westain for his rest and relaxation. After Laura passed away, Vicente started going to Westain for a month every year. He didn’t allow anyone to disturb him.
Everyone assumed it was because Vicente missed Laura, but no one knew that during that month, instead of going to Westain, he was actually accompanying Catherine.
Back then, Vicente had agreed with everyone’s decision to send Catherine back to the countryside. It wasn’t because he thought Catherine was a jinx that brought bad luck to the Swanns.
It was because he saw Catherine’s future in Audrey’s attitude toward Rachael. If Catherine were forced to stay with the Swanns, her childhood would undoubtedly be miserable. The children of the Swanns were not meant to have such a fate.
After weighing the pros and cons, Vicente agreed to send Catherine to the countryside. He was confident that even if Catherine didn’t stay with her parents, the Swanns’ influence could ensure Catherine lived a carefree life.
But he didn’t anticipate that a twist of fate would occur shortly after Catherine was sent to the countryside.
After Catherine moved to the countryside, she had a dedicated caregiver. Vicente even arranged for Catherine to attend school.
Catherine’s talents were discovered after she entered school.
Because of Catherine’s unique status, someone reported it to Vicente immediately. Vicente immediately had Catherine undergo an IQ test, and the results exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Catherine was not just intelligent. Her IQ was close to two hundred. She was actually a rare genius.
Upon discovering his granddaughter’s extraordinary potential, Vicente spared no effort to enroll Catherine in a special school. When Catherine was seven, her professor arranged for her to take the SAT.
That year, the nation witnessed a miraculous SAT achievement as the top scorer achieved a perfect score that nobody had anticipated.
All universities were searching for this genius, but no one could get any information. Catherine went to the special school, and it was her own choice.
Since Catherine was seven years old, Vicente had no way to influence her life.
Catherine’s life was entirely determined by her own choices, and nobody could sway the decisions of this genius. Upon learning Catherine’s history, Korbin and Rachael were utterly shocked.
They hadn’t expected that Vicente had kept this a secret for so long.
Korbin began to feel some resentment toward his father. If he had known earlier that his daughter was such a genius, they wouldn’t have ended up in this situation.
The reason Vicente didn’t disclose Catherine’s genius to the public, aside from Catherine’s own unwillingness, was primarily to protect Catherine.
As Korbin’s father, Vicente knew well about him.
Korbin had significant flaws in his character. If he were to find out about Catherine’s exceptional abilities, there was a high likelihood that Catherine would become a tool manipulated by him due to the bonds of family.
Catherine had said all the things to both of them. Her patience had run out, and she didn’t want to continue the conversation with them.
“Please leave, both of you.”
Catherine raised her hand and signaled toward Rachael and Korbin.
They were somewhat baffled and didn’t understand what Catherine meant.
Before they could grasp the situation, a group of elite professionals in black uniforms appeared in the living room.
Korbin stared at them in astonishment. “Who are you? How did you intrude into the Swanns’?”
Chapter 474 The Candy
The leading butler approached Korbin with the utmost respect. “Hello, Mr. Swann. We are a professional estate management team hired by Miss Catherine. From now on, we will handle all affairs at the Swanns’. I kindly ask you and Mrs. Rachael to leave the Swanns’ as soon as possible.”
At that moment, Korbin couldn’t believe his ears and looked at them with a bewildered expression.
“Are you serious? Do you want me to leave the Swanns’? I am Korbin Swann, and this is the Swanns’!”
Korbin was furious and angrily berated the leading butler. He shouted, “You’d better leave now, or I’ll have the servants call the police!”
After his stern warning, he gestured to the nearby servants and ushered them to escort the butlers out. The butlers on Catherine’s side were no pushovers. Each of them was well- trained. The leading butler produced the relevant documents and presented them to Korbin.
“Mr. Swann, this is the proof of ownership. The actual owner of this house you’re in right now is my employer, Miss Catherine.
“It’s your right to call the police if you wish, but please vacate this house immediately. Otherwise, we will also report the matter. I assume you wouldn’t want this to become a public issue, would you?”
Korbin was left speechless by this statement. He fell back onto his seat, and his face turned red. Rachael rushed forward to support her husband and unleashed a barrage of accusations against Catherine.
“You heartless ingrate! This is the Swanns’! We are your biological parents, and you dare to treat us like this? Aren’t you afraid of your grandfather’s spirit condemning you?”
Catherine, who had been leisurely snacking on the couch, suddenly stopped upon hearing Rachael’s words.
She turned her head and stared at Rachael with her cold gaze.
“You dare to bring up my grandfather?”
Catherine’s cold attitude and piercing eyes left Rachael feeling uneasy. She had to muster her courage and maintain a fearless demeanor while facing Catherine.
“Why wouldn’t I mention your grandfather? Will his soul find peace after he knows you’re using his estate to mistreat your own parents?”
After hearing that, Catherine let out a cold laugh.
She thought Rachael was so stubborn.
“What about you?” Catherine asked as she coldly stared at Rachael. Then she continued, “You collaborate with Pete and willingly give up the Swanns’. Who are you being fair to?”
Rachael realized that Catherine knew what she had done. Rachael was also taken aback and joined her husband on the couch. She hadn’t expected Catherine to be aware of these things.
The biggest real estate project of the top five conglomerates’ agent company in Chritie in the second half of the year happened to be linked to the Swanns’.
Rachael had given up the Swanns as a gesture of gratitude to persuade the other party to get involved.
If Rachael hadn’t damaged the Swanns’ assets, Catherine wouldn’t have made this decision. Catherine had completed everything she intended to do.
She had no intention of dragging things out any longer with this couple. Catherine stood up and glanced at the butler she had brought with her.
The butler respectfully nodded to Catherine.
“Miss Swann, rest assured. I will take care of everything.”
After receiving the assurance, Catherine left gracefully.
Rachael realized that Catherine was about to leave and hurried to catch up with her. But she was intercepted by the people Catherine had brought with her. She was not even given a chance to get close to Catherine.
As Catherine left the Swanns’, she breathed a sigh of relief. In the distance, she noticed the black sedan waiting at the entrance. There was no need to guess. It must be the Branden.
Paxton, who was keeping an eye on Catherine’s exit, quickly informed the man in the back seat.
“Mr. Duncan, Miss Swann is coming out.”
Branden put down his laptop, got out of the car, and walked toward Catherine. He personally opened the car door for Catherine. He carefully avoided her wounded arm and helped Catherine into the car.
Catherine’s right arm had just been sutured, and she needed to be extremely cautious. Once seated in the car, Catherine rested her elbow on the window. She squinted at Branden as if asking why he had returned.
Without words, through her eyes alone, Branden understood the message in Catherine’s gaze. On his handsome face, his deep eyes looked tender as he stared at Catherine. He spoke in an attractive voice tinged with a hint of helplessness.
He said, “It’s been four hours.”
Catherine paused for a moment and then realized what he meant.
When the doctor had sutured her wound, the doctor instructed her that because the wound was quite deep, she needed to take an antibiotic every four hours to prevent infection and further complications.
At the time, Catherine hadn’t paid much attention to it, but Branden had taken it seriously.
When Catherine looked at him again, he had already taken out the medicine and placed it in front of Catherine with a warm cup of water on the side.
Given that it was offered to her, Catherine didn’t want to make a fuss. She reached for the pills and swallowed them. Then Branden handed her a piece of candy. His deep, sparkling eyes shone like stars in the sky.
“It’s a reward!”
The brightly wrapped candy exuded an irresistible charm, which made it clear that the candy must be incredibly sweet.
Catherine hadn’t expected that one day, someone would be concerned about her finding a pill bitter and would prepare a candy in advance.
A subtle smile flashed across her beautiful eyes. Catherine unwrapped the candy and placed the pink confection in her mouth. After savoring it for a moment, she gave her assessment.
“It’s sweet.”
On her usually aloof and composed face, a faint and radiant smile appeared. Branden, who witnessed this scene, was momentarily stunned and found himself captivated by her breathtaking beauty.
After a long while, he regained his senses. He reached around her waist from behind and instantly shortened the distance between them.
He had longed for her pink lips.
When it came to matters between a man and a woman, as long as the man was Branden, Catherine had no objections.
She reveled in the pleasure he brought.
When their kiss finally ended, Branden slowly released Catherine.
Branden reluctantly licked his own lips. If it weren’t for his worry about continuing like this, he would have hurt her. He couldn’t bear to let go of this sweet touch.
After a long aftertaste, Branden also gave his assessment.
He raised his eyebrows and looked vaguely at Catherine. Then he whispered, “Indeed, it’s very sweet.”
His words held a double meaning. Whether he referred to the candy or the person, only he knew. Paxton had been waiting for a while and finally saw a lull in the situation, so he cautiously brought up a matter.
“Mr. Duncan, Miss Swann has injured her hand, and she has a major exam the day after tomorrow. Should we make arrangements to assist her?”
Catherine had injured her right hand, which she used for writing. With the wound being quite deep, it would likely be challenging for her to write. This could significantly impact her performance on such an important exam.
Paxton’s reminder made Branden’s eyebrows furrow deeply. He stared at Catherine’s arm.
“How about you don’t participate?”
With the Duncans’ influence, getting Catherine into a top-notch school was a piece of cake.
As long as Catherine was happy, even having Branden personally create a world-class institution for her would be no issue.
Thinking about Catherine having to take the exam with her injury, Branden felt a pang of reluctance. However, Catherine, the person directly involved, displayed an indifferent attitude.
She didn’t want to waste her time or brainpower on such a trivial matter.
She replied coldly, “It’s fine. Whatever.
Seeing Catherine’s nonchalant and uninterested attitude, Branden didn’t push further. Instead, he began contemplating which school would be the best investment.
Everything else was unimportant. It had to suit Catherine’s needs.
Chapter 475 Rachael’s Anger
As Rachael gazed at the cramped little apartment, she was extremely angry. They had been kicked out of the Swanns ‘by Catherine. Originally, Rachael wanted to return to her mother’s house, but Korbin was firmly against it.
In the end, they had no choice but to settle into this small city apartment.
This apartment was less than 1,000 square feet. It had been purchased for Liana to take a nap during a nearby training class. It was initially registered under Liana’s name, and Rachael had never anticipated they would end up living here.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. The living room in this place wasn’t even half the size of her former walk-in closet. She couldn’t believe that a high-society lady like herself would end up in such a situation.
Unable to contain her anger any longer, Rachael picked up the phone and dialed a number. At the same time, Audrey was on the set in the Northwest.
Audrey was still busy shooting, and she had entrusted her phone to Kim for safekeeping. When Kim noticed the vibration of Audrey’s personal phone, he quickly took it out.
After he saw the incoming call on the screen, a sardonic smile appeared on Kim’s face. He thought inwardly, “She really has the nerve to call. It’s unbelievable.”
Initially, Kim was reluctant to answer the call, but the phone continued to ring incessantly. With a roll of his eyes, Kim finally answered it.
As the call connected, he was greeted by Rachael’s furious voice.
“You brat! It took you this long to answer. When did you become so arrogant?”
Kim, who had seen the two faces of female celebrities both on and off the stage, was momentarily taken aback by Rachael’s words.
He hadn’t expected such a stark contrast in Rachael’s behavior.
“Mrs. Swann, it’s me. Audrey is still busy shooting.”
Upon hearing Kim’s voice, Rachael recognized him as Audrey’s agent, whom she had met a few times before. As Rachael faced Kim, her anger was somewhat subdued, but her attitude remained haughty.
“Tell her to stop shooting and answer the phone.”
Rachael was so arrogant that Kim couldn’t help but wish he could throw a shoe at her face. Considering Rachael’s attitude, Kim adopted a cold tone.
“Mrs. Swann, if you have something to say, tell me, and I’ll convey it to Audrey once she’s available.”
Rachael reacted as if she had heard a joke. She sneered, “Who do you think you are? Talking to you is already showing you some respect. Are you even qualified to relay a message for me?”
Kim had no idea how Audrey had managed to survive all these years. Having a mother like Rachael was a truly unfortunate thing.
“Mrs. Swann, if you don’t have any other business, I’ll hang up now.”
“You dare!” Rachael warned sternly.
In Rachael’s view, even a small-time agent from the entertainment industry dared to speak to her like this. It was ridiculous.
Taking a page from Rachael’s earlier tone, Kim responded with a touch of sarcasm.
He sneered, “What do I have to be afraid of? Do you still think you’re the high and mighty Mrs. Swann? Haven’t you already severed ties with Audrey? Then why are you calling?”
He had heard about Audrey cutting ties with the Swanns yesterday.
Kim learned about the terrible things the Swanns did to Audrey, including kidnapping Audrey to threaten Catherine. In his opinion, cutting ties was just the beginning. He would have sought vengeance if he were in Audrey’s shoes.
“You…” Rachael couldn’t believe that Audrey had shared such matters with Kim. Her face turned red with anger. Then she shouted, “Cut ties? She’s enjoyed all the luxuries at the Swanns’ for years, and now she’s cutting ties with me.
“Audrey is so unfilial. Isn’t she afraid of being ridiculed by the world? I could expose her to the media. Let’s see how this ungrateful girl fares in the entertainment industry.”
In the entertainment industry, people dreaded these kinds of amoral scandals. If Audrey wanted to thrive in this circle, she needed to be obedient.
After being threatened, Kim was thoroughly infuriated. He laughed in anger.
“Haha. Fine, Mrs. Swann. While I’m not from a prestigious family like yours, I do know quite a few people in the media world. Mrs. Swann, if you need anything, feel free to contact me, and I’ll arrange for several media outlets to give you some coverage.”
He continued, “And I must clarify one thing. Audrey did have a privileged upbringing in a wealthy environment, but none of this was thanks to you, Mrs. Swann. She was born into the Swanns, a wealthy family. Even you, Mrs. Swann, wouldn’t have your current status without the support of the Swanns.”
The wealth of the Swanns was built by Vicente’s ancestors, and Vicente continued to expand it, leading to their current status as a prominent family.
All this wealth had no connection with Korbin and Rachael. Moreover, Audrey grew up by Vicente’s side and wasn’t even raised by these two for a single day.
Finally, Kim issued a warning to Rachael. He said, “Mrs. Swann, please be sure to mention the fact that you and Mr. Swann have severed ties with Audrey when you hold your press conference. I’ll accompany Audrey to file a report. The kidnapping incident from yesterday isn’t over yet.”
Actually, they weren’t afraid of Rachael exposing the matter. They knew that in the end, the heartless couple would be the ones facing a grim outcome.
However, Audrey’s career was currently on the rise and in its prime.
The big-budget film she had auditioned for had finally been confirmed, and Kim didn’t expect her to secure the role of the female lead. Kim believed that once the movie was released, Audrey’s career would reach new heights.
Kim used to wonder why Audrey, a fine young lady, would endure such hardship in the entertainment industry.
Why didn’t she return home to inherit her tens of billions of dollars worth of family wealth and live a life of leisure as a socialite?
Now he understood. With parents like hers, she wouldn’t be happy, even if she had hundreds of billions of dollars in inheritance.
Rachael was shocked and couldn’t believe that Audrey had actually shared such matters with others.
“Are you threatening me?”
“Not at all. Mrs. Swann, I just hope that you appreciate what you have now. If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up.”
After that, Kim hung up without hesitation. He thought what he did just now was so cool.
He sneered and thought inwardly, ” Who does she think she is? She is nothing!”
Rachael’s phone beeped.
The sound of the call being disconnected reached Rachael, and her anger had reached a boiling point. She couldn’t control herself any longer and hurled the phone at the wall.
“These ingrates! This bunch of ingrates…”
She had hoped to get Audrey involved in some trouble, but Audrey actually didn’t answer her call, and Kim even threatened her.
Rachael thought inwardly, “These girls are truly asking for trouble!”
Liana stood silently outside the door. She had overheard the entire conversation inside the room. Her hand at her side clenched tightly.
Liana thought inwardly, “Catherine is such a jinx. She caused so much trouble. 11
Liana had originally just wanted to focus on her upcoming exams and hadn’t wanted to get involved in all this. However, things had spiraled into this mess.
With just one more day, after tomorrow’s exam, she would have the time to deal with Catherine.
After subduing her anger, Liana turned away with an indifferent expression.
Chapter 476 An Accident
On the last day of preparations for the big exam, all the students were called back to the classroom.
The homeroom teacher had to inform them of exam instructions, check everyone’s admission tickets, and arrange some last-minute work.
As Catherine entered the classroom, Ronin was the first to notice something was amiss. He exclaimed, “Catherine, what happened to your hand?”
Catherine glanced at the bandage on her hand and slightly frowned. After Ronin’s loud outburst, everyone’s attention turned to Catherine. Ronin couldn’t wait and hurried to Catherine’s side with righteous anger.
“Catherine, tell me who hurt you. I’ll take care of the scoundrel who injured you!”
He had turned incredibly furious. It seemed that he was ready for a fight. Catherine gave him a cool look and asked in a cold tone, “Do you think you can handle the person who hurt me?”
With just that simple statement, Ronin found himself deep in thought.
Catherine was right. Whoever had hurt Catherine was a formidable opponent, and there was no way Ronin could handle it. After all, Catherine was so powerful.
Ronin couldn’t fathom who it might be.
After a moment of contemplation, Ronin reluctantly said, “Catherine, even if I can’t get revenge for you, I can still settle the score a bit.”
“It’s an accident.”
After Catherine said that, she pushed Ronin onto a chair.
Her gesture indicated she didn’t want Ronin to get involved. Ronin understood and then nodded. “I see. It was an accident. I knew it!”
Bryan glanced at Catherine’s injured hand and frowned with concern. ” Catherine, your right hand is injured. How are you going to take the exam tomorrow?”
Catherine waved it off dismissively and replied, “I’ll manage.”
Seeing that Catherine didn’t want to discuss it further, Bryan decided not to press the issue. Liana, who was sitting nearby, noticed the situation and couldn’t help but smile smugly.
She had been worried that Catherine might take some impressive measures. But now, it seemed like Catherine was indeed a jinx, and her luck had taken a turn for the worse.
Catherine got injured on the right hand the day before the exam. It rendered her incapable of taking the test. Liana thought inwardly, “With an injured hand, how can Catherine complete the exam?
“She doesn’t have any chance. She is bound to fail.”
As Liana thought about the phone call, she became upset. She hadn’t initially intended to cause trouble for Catherine, but seeing Catherine’s injured hand, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
Liana asked, “Catherine, how could you have such an accident the day before the exam?
“I’ve heard many people get pre-exam jitters, and they fear they won’t perform well. So, they try to find ways to avoid it.”
Liana smiled and stared at Catherine with a peculiar, sinister expression.
“Catherine, are you one of those people?”
Her tone was dripping with sarcasm. It drew the attention of those around them. Liana’s implication was quite evident. She suggested that Catherine intentionally caused the accident to avoid the exam.
Everyone else could see it, so there was no way Catherine wouldn’t.
She looked at Liana coldly and said calmly, “Instead of worrying about me, you should think about your own future. After Liana heard these words, her face turned pale. She had no response to Catherine’s retort.
Korbin and Rachael were both expelled from the Swanns’, so Liana had no chance to stay at the Swanns’ either.
Without power and status, Liana, who was once the heiress of Swanns and the most envied socialite in Casier, might suffer a lot in the future.
Ronin observed the situation and looked at Liana with a cold, mocking expression on his face. He thought inwardly, “She just lacks self-awareness. Even in this situation, she still has the nerve to mock Catherine.
“She really is overestimating herself.”
The awkward atmosphere was interrupted when the homeroom teacher entered the classroom. During the class meeting, the homeroom teacher emphasized the instructions repeatedly.
It seemed that doing so would prevent any unexpected mishaps. Once the instructions were clear, the teacher had the whole class double- check everything.
Finally, the teacher turned her attention to Catherine.
“Catherine, come with me to the office. In the office, the homeroom teacher looked at the wound on Catherine’s arm with a headache.
“How could you be so careless and injure your right hand?”
Catherine had faced many challenges over the years.
But she never expected that a minor wound like this would draw so much attention.
“It’s not a big deal,” Catherine replied casually. Seeing Catherine’s attitude, the homeroom teacher was still somewhat concerned.
Catherine’s grades were exceptionally high, and she consistently performed well in important exams, even if she slept through regular classes.
The homeroom teacher had hoped Catherine would achieve a good ranking this time and bring glory to Class 8, but now, it seemed that her expectations might not be met.
Despite the unfortunate timing of the injury, the homeroom teacher refrained from scolding and offered comfort to Catherine.
“Be more careful, stay relaxed, and do your best. Since it has happened, just try to make the best of it.”
Catherine nodded slightly and left the office. In the blink of an eye, the next day arrived. It was the day of the big exam.
Many people had trouble sleeping last night, but Catherine was an exception. She had gone to bed at 8 PM and was awakened at 6 AM by Audrey.
Knowing that Catherine had an exam today, Audrey took a day off from the crew to accompany her.
Audrey led the still-sleepy Catherine to the dining table and gestured for her to sit down.
“Kathy, wake up a bit. I’ll go prepare breakfast for you.”
Catherine had just woken up and was in a daze.
She asked in a drowsy voice, “Are you sure?”
Audrey had originally intended to cook breakfast for Catherine. However, after reconsidering her culinary skills, She didn’t want to risk Catherine getting sick on such an important day. After a moment of thought, she decided to change her plans.
“Never mind. I’ll just go buy something for you.”
As she opened the door, she was surprised to find a group of people waiting outside. Audrey was puzzled.
She asked, “Who are you?”
Paxton, upon hearing her voice, stepped forward. “Miss Swann, Mr. Duncan arranged for us to come. We are here to prepare breakfast for you and Miss Catherine.”
Audrey observed their professional attire and noticed the emblem of a local five-star hotel on their chef hats. It was evident they were top-notch private chefs brought in by Branden.
Knowing Branden arranged it, Audrey accepted their help without hesitation. After all, given how accomplished Catherine was, pursuing her was no easy task.
Even a noble like Branden had to put in the effort to win her over.
Chapter 477 The Exam
Catherine was heading to the exam room in Casier. Looking ahead at the crowded scene, Catherine impatiently spoke up in a cold voice, “Drop me off up front.”
There was no choice. The place was packed with the parents of exam- takers. Many families had mobilized for this event.
The once spacious road had now become unbearably congested. Hearing Catherine’s words, the driver was sweating profusely. But he didn’t dare to make any decisions.
Seeing the severe traffic jam up ahead, Branden simply pushed the car door open.
With the blazing sun outside, he reached for the umbrella by the car door and propped it up to shield himself from the scorching rays.
Paxton approached and intended to take the umbrella, but Branden avoided his hand. Branden circled to Catherine’s side, opened the car door, and led her out.
As they stepped out, the big umbrella cast a shadow over Catherine and shielded her from the sun completely.
“Let’s go,” Branden said.
He held Catherine’s hand and led her toward the exam room. The parking spot wasn’t too far from the exam room, just 100 yards away.
The entrance of the exam room was swarmed with people. Branden, who usually avoided crowds, showed no signs of dissatisfaction.
He stood behind Catherine and blocked the harsh sun with his tall figure.
At the school gate, there were also TV reporters covering the event. With Branden escorting Catherine, the two of them immediately caught the attention of many people. The reporters were quick to notice this attractive couple.
One of them couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow. This guy is so handsome! He doesn’t look like a student here to take the exam. And the girl he’s with is so gorgeous, like a princess. Is he her brother, here to see her off?”
The more experienced cameraman behind the reporter rolled his eyes and teased the new intern for her lack of insight.
“Didn’t you look at their hands? How can they be siblings when they’re holding hands like that?”
Upon closer inspection, the reporter realized what the cameraman said was right. The two people’s intertwined fingers made them look like a loving couple.
The reporter was truly captivated by their looks. With a few minutes left before the entrance time, she decided to approach them for an interview.
As she prepared to approach, the cameraman immediately stopped her.
The puzzled reporter turned to him and wondered why he was holding her back.
“Sir, why aren’t we going to interview them?”
“Take a closer look at the logo of their umbrella. Not everyone can be interviewed,” the cameraman explained.
Branden had a powerful and authoritative presence. From the aura emanating from Branden, the cameraman understood that Branden was not ordinary.
Moreover, the umbrella he held, with such a prominent logo, was a symbol of wealth. After being reminded, the reporter finally noticed the umbrella that Branden was holding.
She had read about these umbrellas built into car doors, and they started at a price of at least one hundred thousand dollars.
This umbrella Branden had looked even more high-end than what she had seen in those informative posts. The price must have been on the higher side. Its price must easily match that of a mid- range to high-end car.
Upon this realization, the reporter quickly abandoned her plan to interview and expressed her gratitude to the cameraman.
Branden noticed the nearby camera crew, but he didn’t pay them much attention. As long as they didn’t disturb Catherine’s exam preparations, he was fine.
The bell rang, and the exam room’s door opened. Catherine didn’t rush in. She waited for most of the people to enter before giving Branden a subtle nod. Then, she walked confidently toward the exam room.
Her expression was relaxed and composed, and she showed no signs of nervousness.
Watching that, Paxton couldn’t help but compliment her. He said, “Miss Catherine’s calm demeanor is truly admirable. After all, this is such a significant exam, and she doesn’t seem nervous at all.”
Branden stared at Catherine as she walked away. She gradually disappeared from his sight.
Then he replied earnestly, “She is like me.”
Paxton had initially wanted to lighten the atmosphere by praising Catherine, but he never expected Branden to respond.
It was truly surprising.
Catherine found her exam room, and coincidentally, Liana also walked in. It was quite a coincidence that they were assigned to the same exam room.
As soon as Liana saw Catherine, her first reaction was to glance at Catherine’s arm. When Liana noticed the bandage on Catherine’s right hand, a smug smile appeared on her face.
It was evident that Catherine had suffered a significant injury, and she could hardly pass this important exam.
Liana coldly snorted with arrogance and left.
Catherine had no interest in engaging with her. If she wanted to put on a show, Catherine was content to let her do so alone.
Only half an hour into the exam, a student suddenly raised a hand to turn in the paper.
This student was Catherine. The exam proctor came over to her and asked repeatedly, “Are you sure you want to submit your paper?”
Catherine placed her paper in the proctor’s hands. She picked up her belongings and left without a word.
The proctor watched Catherine walk away with an embarrassed expression and then shook her head.
Some students couldn’t be persuaded, and this time, she didn’t bother trying.
Catherine submitted her paper so early, which caused quite a commotion.
Liana naturally noticed it, and the mockery in her eyes intensified.
She thought inwardly, “Catherine’s hand is injured.
“What is the point of just sitting there? She might as well turn in the paper.”
This time, Liana was brimming with confidence. She believed she would ultimately outperform Catherine.
Two days of exams passed in the blink of an eye, and the major exam was finally over. To reward Catherine, Branden specially arranged a trip for Catherine to relax for a few days.
He had all the prepared documents ready to present to Catherine, but Catherine promptly refused for a simple reason.
The reason she provided was just one word.
“Tired!”
Catherine didn’t want to do anything. She just wished to lay at home and play games. Seeing her in this state, Branden had no choice but to let her be. He put away the travel plans and materials and let Catherine relax at home.
He tried to finish any work that could be done from home and free up as much time as possible to be with Catherine.
In the afternoon, Branden had to attend a meeting at the company. Catherine was bored. She played games on her phone.
As soon as one game ended, a call from Withal came in. Catherine casually answered the call, put it on speakerphone, and tossed it aside. She was so lazy that she didn’t even want to hold the phone in her hand.
“Catherine, I heard you just finished your exams and have some free time.”
Withal’s voice was filled with excitement.
Catherine didn’t need to guess. She knew it was Ronin who told him. Ronin was probably about to broadcast it to everyone with a megaphone.
Catherine lazily responded with her sultry voice. “Spit it out.”
Even though Catherine’s mood seemed relatively good, Withal didn’t dare to be disrespectful in front of her. He quickly got to the point.
“Catherine, the king of Ravenloth sent us a letter of request and asked you to visit Ravenloth.”
Chapter 478 Ravenloth
After hearing that, Catherine thought inwardly, “Ravenloth?”
Ravenloth was a small country on the eastern ocean. It might be tiny in size and population, but this place was loaded.
Thanks to its vast mineral resources, each year, the revenue from these resources alone was enough to make the people of this country prosperous.
But Catherine couldn’t care less about this news.
After all, she was in such high demand worldwide. If she met with everyone who wanted to see her, she would run herself ragged.
If it weren’t for Withal’s call, Catherine wouldn’t pay any attention.
She nonchalantly asked, “What’s the deal?”
“They didn’t specify,” Withal replied and chuckled. He looked quite pleased as he said, “But our intelligence network is top-notch. I’ve already dug up some information. It seems that the royal family of Ravenloth suddenly contracted a mysterious illness. It has affected over a hundred of its members. They want you to help.”
Upon hearing that, Catherine couldn’t help but roll her eyes.
“If they’re sick, they should see a doctor. I’m not a medical expert. Why come to me?”
At first, Withal thought the same way. After he delved deeper into the situation, he realized their true aim.
“Catherine, this might not be an ordinary illness. The king of Ravenloth suspects it’s a special virus, and they need an expert in bioresearch.”
Who was the most powerful and least business-oriented bioresearch expert globally?
It was none other than Catherine.
Even so, Catherine showed no interest and responded coldly, “I’m not interested.”
After saying that, she was about to hang up.
Withal sensed Catherine’s intention and quickly stopped her.
“Catherine, the king of Ravenloth is willing to offer a gold mine as a reward. Catherine paused for a moment before hanging up the phone. She asked, ”
How much gold does it contain?”
Withal couldn’t contain his excitement and raised his voice as he replied, “The gold it contains is at least enough to rank among the top ten globally!”
This time, the king of Ravenloth was really going all-in. He had no choice but to offer a generous reward. In just three days, over a hundred royal members had fallen ill.
If this continued, the entire royal family of Ravenloth would be wiped out, and all the gold mines would be worthless for them.
Catherine thought about the call she’d received from Rodge about the tight finances in her lab. After that, Catherine couldn’t help but sigh. It seemed like raising people was a costly endeavor, and she had quite a few under her care.
“I’ll get in touch with you once I decide the time,” she said. Fearing that Catherine might change her mind, Withal quickly agreed. He replied, “Alright.”
This time, before Catherine could hang up, Withal quickly ended the call and didn’t give her any chance to say another word.
After the call ended, Catherine casually tossed her phone aside.
She continued to lie on the sofa and even didn’t bother to move her eyes. Half an hour later, Branden returned to the apartment.
As he pushed the door open, the warm yellow light inside brightened his mood. He realized that Catherine hadn’t left her spot and had been staying there for three days. She even didn’t feel bored.
After entering the living room, he saw Catherine lounging in a relatively carefree posture.
He hadn’t made any extra effort to be quiet when he came in, so Catherine must have known he was home, but she was just too lazy to move.
Branden took off his jacket and undid the rather awkward tie he’d been wearing all day with his slender fingers.
This tie was one that Catherine had personally tied for him before he left this morning. He wondered why she suddenly felt compelled to help him with his tie.
It was clear that it was her first time, as her hands weren’t very skilled, and after a while, it ended up looking quite strange.
However, Branden didn’t mind. He wore the awkward tie to the company without any complaints. Today, they had their semi-annual quarterly meeting, and besides the local company’s top management, there were members from various overseas subsidiaries.
Everyone saw Branden sitting in the chairman’s seat, listening to the meeting, and wearing a tie that was somewhat peculiar in shape.
Word had spread that Branden had gotten engaged and had a beautiful fiancée. Now, everyone knew that Branden’s fiancée was not very skilled at tying ties. Branden waited for a while, but Catherine remained laid back. She showed no intention of moving.
He had no choice but to approach her himself. Then he carefully lifted Catherine’s head and placed her body on his thighs.
“Are you hungry?”
His attractive voice was incredibly gentle.
Catherine let out a lazy grunt and rejected Branden’s offer. She was well on her way to being fed like a pig by Branden. She lay around all day without moving a muscle. She wasn’t hungry at all.
Catherine had just calculated the time in her head and figured she could set a date.
“Two days from now, I need to go out.”
“Where are you going?”
Branden was genuinely relieved that Catherine was now willingly discussing her whereabouts and didn’t leave without a word.
He was pleased that his efforts had finally paid off after all this time.
Catherine hadn’t initially wanted to say anything. However, she didn’t know how long this trip would take. Fearing Branden might be upset and make trouble like last time, she decided it was best to speak up.
“Ravenloth.”
As soon as Catherine mentioned it, Branden realized the situation and frowned.
“Ravenloth Palace?”
From his tone, Catherine could tell that he’d received the information.
Given the magnitude of the situation in Ravenloth Palace, they were probably actively inviting experts worldwide to Ravenloth to assist them. It was no surprise that Branden had access to this information.
Branden was the chief of the Red Star. If he couldn’t even receive this kind of intelligence, Catherine would start doubting his capabilities.
“Yes. I’m going to take a look,” Catherine responded.
Branden had received the information last night. Although Ravenloth was not a large country, it had economic ties with many top nations worldwide.
If the Ravenloth royal family had a problem, it could potentially trigger a global catastrophe.
The situation in Ravenloth was currently shrouded in mystery, and going in could be very dangerous.
Thinking of all this, Branden made up his mind.
“I’ll accompany you the day after tomorrow.”
Catherine was a bit surprised and opened her eyes to look at him inquisitively. “You’re going too?”
Branden nodded. “I’ll be there with you.
Since he couldn’t stop Catherine, he would at least be there with Catherine. He would have less to worry about when Catherine was around him. Seeing his firm resolve and seriousness, Catherine had no choice but to agree.
“As you wish.”
The Duncan Corporation had numerous branches worldwide. Branden had a lot of work to deal with each day, much of which had been prearranged.
He made a sudden decision to go to Ravenloth and didn’t know how many days it would take.
He had to make sure the Duncan Corporation’s work was delegated properly in advance. So he could accompany Catherine to Ravenloth without worries.
Despite his busy schedule, he also took the time to prepare food for Catherine and watched her eat.
Catherine didn’t like taking medicine, so he made sure she took her medicine before going to work.
On this matter, Catherine couldn’t resist him, so she decided to go along with his plans.
She thought to herself, “Taking medicine is no big deal, especially when it’s right in front of me.”
With a gulp, she raised her head, closed her eyes, and took the medicine.
“I took it.”
After that, Catherine handed the empty cup to Branden.
Branden took it and gently stroked Catherine’s head.
“Be good. I’ll go work for a bit.”
Catherine gave him an annoyed sidelong glance. She felt he was treating her like a three-year-old he needed to soothe.
Chapter 479 Boxing Match
Catherine had been lying in bed for a couple of days, and her whole body was in a state of lethargy.
She saw Branden heading toward the door early in the morning, and she knew he was mostly going to exercise.
A glimmer of light flashed through Catherine’s cold eyes, and she instantly rolled up from the bed.
“Wait for me!”
Branden stopped and turned to look at her. “You’re going too?”
Catherine nodded without hesitation, then raised her eyebrows to look at Branden with a meaningful gaze.” Can’t I?”
Branden did not think she could not go, but he just did not expect Catherine to want to exercise with him. After all, she had always been lazy, and she would lie down.
Branden smiled helplessly as he thought of Catherine’s very bored and lazy appearance at home these past few days.
“Do you need to change your clothes?”
Catherine was wearing casual clothes, so she did not need to change.
“Let’s go!”
Catherine followed behind Branden and was pulled out of the door by him.
At first, she thought Branden was just exercising and running in the community every day, but she did not expect the man who pulled her out of the door to take her upstairs.
There were a total of two apartments on the top floor, one of which was the apartment that Triston bought to view the river.
Were they going to Triston’s apartment?
As soon as the elevator door opened, Branden pulled her toward the opposite direction of Triston’s apartment.
He opened the door with his thumbprint.
“Ding-dong!”
The sound of the door being opened sounded, and the door opened after that.
It was an apartment of the same type as the one they lived in, with an oversized area but not decorated like a regular residence.
All the rooms inside had been knocked into one and turned into a fully equipped gym with all kinds of equipment available.
Catherine tilted her head to look at Branden. “You bought this place as a gym?”
Branden did not deny it!
Although this community was not considered a top-tier rich and powerful residence, it was still considered a high -grade community in Casier, where land was precious. And this building was the closest to the river, so the price was even higher.
Branden actually bought an apartment on the top floor to use as a gym.
This man was really extravagant!
The largest apartment in this building was only over 3,000 square feet, which was pitifully small compared to the Duncans’ estate.
To move closer to Catherine, Branden had no choice but to buy the apartment opposite Audrey’s. He had the habit of exercising every day, and even if he were busy, he would still find time to exercise properly.
This apartment was originally a property under Triston’s name, but later, it fell into Branden’s hands, and he had someone directly turn it into a gym.
Although the view from this floor was better than that from downstairs, he knew Catherine’s nature too well.
If he lived on the top floor, Catherine would never bother waiting a few seconds to take the elevator to his apartment.
Branden took a clean towel and hung it around his neck as he stepped onto the treadmill to warm up. Catherine, meanwhile, wandered around the gym alone. After walking around, she finished visiting this place.
In the end, she set her gaze on the nearby boxing ring.
Branden was running on the treadmill, but he kept his eyes on Catherine.
Seeing her lingering in front of the ring, he paused the treadmill and approached slowly toward her.
“Are you interested in it?”
Branden’s noble and magnetic voice came from behind Catherine. Thinking of the scenes of losing to Branden a few years ago, Catherine suddenly became interested.
She turned back to the man with raised eyebrows and provocative eyes. “Let’s have a competition!”
Branden did not speak but took the initiative to take out the protective gear on the side. He put it on Catherine.
Catherine, however, refused him. She just grabbed a pair of boxing gloves, and with one of her hands bracing the edge of the arena, she climbed up into the arena neatly.
“Time is precious. Let’s come straight to it!”
Branden raised the corner of his mouth slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his incredibly handsome face. His smile was filled with helplessness.
He had a girl with a super high combat power. What should he do?
Worrying that Catherine would get impatient, he quickly flipped over and climbed onto the arena.
Catherine had been boxing on the black market for several years and was very familiar with the skills and rules of boxing.
After a brief greeting, the two began boxing straight away. Their moves were neat and agile without any hesitation. When Paxton and Triston arrived, Catherine and Branden had been boxing for more than ten minutes. Both of them were sweating all over!
The scene of the experts’ showdown was fascinating, leaving Paxton and Triston, the two bystanders, stunned.
Watching Catherine punch every time, Triston could not help but want to cheer her up. This was much more exciting than watching the world wrestling entertainment.
He looked at Paxton beside him and asked in a low voice, “How long can you box Catherine if it were you in the arena?”
Paxton could not help but roll his eyes at Triston. Did Triston even need to ask that?
Paxton thought he would probably get kicked off by Catherine before he even had a chance to get into the arena.
Who had not heard of the name of the killer “Anon”?
Seeing him like this, Triston patted his shoulder as if to comfort him and said, “Okay, okay. Let’s stop mentioning your sadness. It’s not a shame to fail Catherine!”
“Hmph!” Paxton sneered disdainfully and then said with a respectful expression, “I don’t think it’s a shame. I can freely admit that my strength is not as good as Miss Swann’s!”
Hearing this, Triston could not help but admire Catherine a little more.
He had known Paxton for quite some time. He knew that in all those years, other than Branden, Catherine was the second person Paxton admired.
Unexpectedly, this little girl who looked so delicate and beautiful had such an overwhelming power.
“Paxton, who do you think will win between Mr. Duncan and Catherine?”
Paxton could not answer that question.
If it were someone else in a boxing match with Branden, he would not hesitate to say that Branden would win.
However, in front of a supreme expert like Catherine, Paxton did not dare to jump to conclusions.
Catherine was really powerful!
On the arena, Branden and Catherine’s sparring continued.
Catherine’s eyes became colder and colder as she continued. Branden’s power was much stronger than she expected.
Over the past three years, her power had improved a lot. But Branden did not waste his time in the past three years either and had become more powerful. In peak battles, any slight carelessness could lead one to a disadvantage.
Seeing Branden distracted, Catherine took advantage of the opportunity and forcefully pushed him back with a combination of punches.
Branden took a few steps back.
In the end, Branden lost.
He raised his left arm high and looked at Catherine with a smile in his eyes.
“I lose!”
Catherine stopped. She took off her boxing gloves and threw them aside in a cool manner.
In fact, she should be the one who was supposed to lose!
At the last minute, Branden could have attacked her, but he hesitated. Catherine seized this opportunity to gain an advantage.
Moreover, Branden’s previous injury on Scorpion Island had not yet healed, and his physical strength was not at its peak. They could all be considered the reason for Catherine’s narrow victory.
Catherine sat casually on the floor while Branden squatted down and wiped her flushed cheeks with a clean towel.
The intense exercise made Catherine’s fair-skinned face flush fiercely. Her face looked like a ripe apple now, fragrant and tempting!
When Branden had almost wiped her sweat, Catherine took the opportunity and fell into Branden’s arms lazily.
She said lazily, “I’m tired!”
Branden looked at her with infinite doting in his eyes.
He said in a voice full of tenderness, Okay, I’ll carry you back!” 11
After standing up, he carried Catherine in his arms and walked straight out of the gym.
Triston was standing on the side and ignored. He finally came back to his senses after Branden and Catherine left his sight.
He looked at Paxton with a face full of surprise and asked, “Are these still the two people I know?” They were so intimate that they were completely different from the cold and indifferent two before.
“Haha…” Paxton sneered and gave Triston a look of contempt.
Chapter 480 Departing for Ravenloth
Catherine received a phone call from Withal at noon. As the phone was connected, Withal’s flattering and cautious voice came from the receiver. “Catherine, have you made a decision yet?”
Withal did not want to rush Catherine, but Ravenloth Palace was pushing him too hard.
The old king of Ravenloth urgently posted everywhere to beg experts to help. Withal was afraid that they would lose the money they were about to receive.
Fortunately, Catherine did not refuse him.
“Tomorrow!”
After receiving Catherine’s accurate response, Withal laughed heartily with joy. As long as Catherine was willing to step up to the plate, he felt that this matter was already a sure thing. Withal could not wait to say, “I’ll prepare your flight ticket for tomorrow then!”
“No need!”
Catherine rejected him without hesitation. Withal was a bit confused. Could it be that Catherine wanted to fly the plane herself?
Catherine just hung up the phone without giving Withal a chance to ask the reason. The next day, Withal arrived at Ravenloth before Catherine.
Ravenloth was not a large land area and was sparsely populated. There were only two airports in the whole country. Catherine would take a plane from Casier to Ravenloth, so she could only land at the eastern airport.
Withal had been waiting at Ravenloth’s eastern airport early in the morning. He stared at the departure gate anxiously.
A whole day passed, and he did not get any news about Catherine. He did not know when she would come.
With a sense of unease, Withal waited at the airport gate for another two hours. Not long after, there was a commotion coming from the VIP lane of the private plane ahead.
It was unknown which big shot had chartered the plane to come to Ravenloth.
This kind of thing was common in wealthy Ravenloth.
Withal glanced and did not pay much attention to it.
Although Catherine was very wealthy, she was very stingy toward herself. She spent all her money on conducting experiments.
Withal did not think it was possible for Catherine to do something like chartering a private plane.
Just as Withal was about to turn his head to ignore the scene in front of him, he happened to see a tall figure in the crowd.
He recognized the tall figure at once!
Was not that man Branden’s assistant Paxton?
Why was he there?
Could it be…
Withal no longer hesitated and rushed straight up.
He only took two steps before being stopped by the bodyguard.
“Sir, please stay away!” The bodyguard’s attitude was particularly tough and serious. Withal explained to that bodyguard with an anxious face, “Please make way. I’m looking for someone!”
The bodyguard had seen too many people like Withal in his career as a bodyguard. He still meticulously stood in front, not giving Withal any chance to get closer. Withal became angry and directly knocked down the bodyguard.
The bodyguard did not expect Withal to attack him so directly, nor did he expect Withal to be so powerful.
In an instant, many bodyguards rushed over and surrounded Withal.
The commotion over there also attracted Paxton’s attention. Hearing that someone was causing trouble, Paxton’s face immediately darkened. There were always some stupid people making trouble for themselves.
With a gloomy face, Paxton went forward and prepared to teach the other party a lesson, but he was surprised to find out that the person causing trouble was actually someone he knew.
“Stop!”
The bodyguards all stopped at Paxton’s order.
Withal rotated his neck slightly to relax himself. He was surprised that the bodyguards of the Duncans were so powerful, and it took a lot of his strength to deal with them.
After stopping, Withal waved at Paxton.
“Have you seen Catherine?”
Paxton brought Withal to Branden. Branden had just walked out of the VIP lane with a petite girl in his arms.
The girl had her back to Withal, so he could not see her face. However, Withal recognized the girl as his boss, Catherine at a glance.
He had never seen Catherine’s feminine side like this before. If not for the fact that the person holding Catherine was Branden, Withal would not have believed that the girl in front of him was Catherine.
The scene was just too shocking!
Seeing the person who came was Withal, Branden did not say anything. He carried Catherine in his arms and continued to walk forward.
Catherine continued to sleep quietly in Branden’s arms, showing no signs of waking up. Branden did not want to wake her up, so he protected her carefully in his arms to prevent her from being disturbed by people around.
Withal followed them into the car. He frowned slightly as he saw there were so many suitcases. He raised his eyebrows at Paxton on the side and asked, “Are you guys bringing any secret weapons here?”
Paxton reached out and pointed to the suitcases next to him. “This is Miss Swann’s commonly used pillow, this is her favorite blanket, and this is her favorite coffee cup…”
Paxton told Withal one by one about the things in those suitcases as if they were all treasures.
Branden gave the order to pack them, and Paxton had no choice but to obey it. Paxton had supervised the entire packaging process, so he knew better than anyone what was inside these suitcases.
Withal was holding back his laughter as he listened. In that case, it seemed that Catherine was not there to take on a mission, but she was more like moving to immigrate. All the things she used to use were packed!
Paxton glanced coldly at Withal, his face full of disgust.
“You can laugh if you want, or else you’ll suffer internal injuries!”
The car slowly drove to a manor entrance and stopped. Paxton was the first to get out of the car and pushed open the door for Branden.
Branden got out of the car with Catherine in his arms. His hand holding Catherine had ne never been released from the moment he boarded the plane until now.
Even when Catherine woke up, she nestled in his arms, killing time with her cell phone. Branden was willing to let Catherine do that, and Catherine did not object.
After entering the manor, Branden placed Catherine on a nearby sofa chair, and she opened her eyes slowly. Her half-asleep appearance made her less cold and detached than usual but more charming.
Branden regretted it a little. He should not have put Catherine on the sofa chair. He should have just carried her upstairs and hidden her in his room so no one would see her beauty.
Catherine woke up. She was not surprised to see Withal sitting across from her. She opened her mouth languidly and asked, “Is everything arranged?”
Seeing that Catherine had no intention of hiding the matter from Branden and the others, Withal went to the point directly.
“I’ve made an appointment with Ravenloth Palace for ten o’clock tomorrow morning. They will arrange for someone to pick us up!”
Catherine nodded, took out her cell phone and started playing games. Paxton was curious as he watched Catherine’s movements.
He heard that the king of Ravenloth asked Catherine to help, but he did not see Catherine prepare for it. The things for tomorrow had already been arranged, but Catherine was still leisurely playing games on her cell phone.
Her calmness was admirable.
Branden left with Paxton. Withal and Catherine were left in the living room.
As soon as they left, Withal could not wait to ask Catherine, “Catherine, are you going to have Mr. Duncan accompany you?”
Catherine lowered her eyes and glared at him. Her gaze seemed to question Withal, “Do you have a problem with that?”
Withal was so startled that he waved his hand in a hurry. “Nope. I just wonder if we need to get the king of Ravenloth to give us some extra money.
If you two big guys are going on the mission together, we’ll suffer a loss with the price I negotiated before!”
“Good point!” Catherine nodded rather approvingly. “Then I’ll leave this to you!”
After getting Catherine’s order, Withal could not wait but wanted to slap himself. He blamed himself for talking too much. He got himself into trouble!