Ch. 501..510

Chapter 501 Even More Powerful!

After listening to Hayden’s words, Catherine remained calm.

“You’re wrong.” Her voice was calm, devoid of any warmth.

Hayden looked at Catherine with a puzzled expression. “Doctor, what do you mean?”

Catherine bluntly told him, “You’re thanking the wrong person.”

Hearing this, Hayden anxiously interrupted Catherine. “It’s impossible. I couldn’t have remembered wrong. It was you who saved me back then!”

“It was indeed me, but I didn’t do it to save you.” Catherine’s face remained expressionless, her eyes not even blinking. “The person who harmed you had a laugh that was too unpleasant.”

That person was a human trafficker in the black market. He enjoyed laughing while dealing with the captive.

Catherine happened to pass by at that time and was extremely disgusted by the laughter. In order to stop the person from laughing, she released all the kidnapped individuals. This was the only time she intervened in the internal affairs of the black market. The black market had its own rules, and outsiders were not allowed to interfere.

If it weren’t for Catherine’s good relationship with the Lamberts, it would have been much more difficult.

However, Catherine didn’t expect that her unintentional act would lead to such an outcome.

Hayden was stunned, gazing at Catherine with a dazed expression. He never expected that all these years, it was his own delusion.

After a while, he snapped out of it. A relieved smile appeared on his face. In fact, there was nothing to be sad about. From the beginning, it was just his wishful thinking, right?

Regardless of Catherine’s intentions, she saved him.

It was true in the past, and it remained true now.

“Doctor, I still have to thank you!”

Catherine already knew everything she wanted to know. As decent as the dungeon was, it was far inferior to the outside world.

“Don’t forget to pay the reward!” Catherine said, standing up and leaving without even saying goodbye to Hayden.

Hayden stared, mesmerized at Catherine’s departing figure. His only regret was that he had never seen her true face.

He believed that the doctor must be as beautiful as an angel. Catherine walked out of the dungeon. The crisis in the Ravenloth Palace had been resolved.

As for the fate of Queen Lina and Hayden, it had nothing to do with her. She didn’t care who would win or lose. She just wanted to complete the tasks she was assigned and receive her rightful reward. She didn’t care about anything else.

Inside the palace of Ravenloth.

The king personally summoned Branden, or rather, he should be said to be seeking an audience with Branden.

The doctor’s assistant had a temper worse than anyone else, and it wasn’t easy to meet him. No one else had this opportunity except for the doctor.

After the palace attendant pleaded several times, they finally managed to bring this big shot to the palace.

Branden calmly sat in front of the king, elegantly sipping his coffee. The king had been waiting for half a day. He finally couldn’t hold back any longer, taking the initiative to speak.

“Sir, I heard that you and the doctor are about to leave Ravenloth. Is that correct?”

Branden put down his cup of coffee, slowly raised his head, and his gaze fell calmly on the king.

“Of course. The mission is over.”

“If I plan to continue employing you and have you stay in Ravenloth, what conditions do you want? As long as you are willing to stay and serve Ravenloth, you can ask for anything,” the king said, his gaze fixed on Branden, not wanting to miss any of his expressions.

Branden didn’t show him any respect and gave a two-word response.

“Not interested!”

The surrounding servants were shocked to hear Branden publicly refuse the king, their jaws almost dropping.

In Ravenloth, the king was supreme, and anyone who dared to treat the king like this would be sentenced to death.

In their eyes, Branden was already a dead man. They believed that the king would punish Branden. But just when they thought that, the most unexpected outcome came.

The king coldly watched Branden, his face darkening and his attitude becoming colder.

“What if I insist on you staying?”

Branden remained calm and composed, casually sweeping his gaze over the king. “You can give it a try, Your Majesty.”

Compared to the previous sentence, this one was even more arrogant, and the people around were already trembling in fear.

This time, they all believed that Branden was not only doomed, but would also be subjected to Ravenloth’s harshest punishment.

Unfortunately, the king’s attitude once again shocked them. Not only did he not punish Branden, but he even laughed out loud.

“Well, well, well. It seems like I have guessed it right. Why hadn’t you even given a heads-up before you came to Ravenloth, Mr. Duncan? I should have welcomed such an esteemed guest!”

Branden wasn’t too surprised that the king had known his identity.

He had been in Ravenloth for some time now, and the king had just found out, which was already a little late.

Branden responded calmly with a poker face, “There’s no need for you to welcome me personally, Your Majesty. My identity here is merely as Dr. Sugar’s assistant. If Your Majesty has no other business, I will take my leave.”

Branden’s attitude was clear enough. He came to Ravenloth solely as the doctor’s assistant, which had nothing to do with the Duncans.

However, this didn’t mean that the king of Ravenloth could easily manipulate him. If Branden wanted to leave, not only could the king not stop him, but he also had to respectfully see Branden out.

After Branden left, the king became furious.

Seeing the king’s bad mood, the chief attendant lowered his head and cautiously asked, “Your Majesty, since you don’t want him to leave, why don’t I arrange for someone to bring him back? This is Ravenloth. Why should we fear him?”

The king coldly glanced at the chief attendant, his icy gaze seemed to respond to the palace attendants with ” You fool!”

Terrified, the palace attendant quickly knelt down and continuously apologized.

The king still had a dark expression as

if he could explode with rage at any moment.

“Do you know who that man is? Even if we detain him now, we will have to send him back later and apologize. It’s not worth the trouble.”

The palace attendant didn’t expect the situation to be so serious. He believed that the king wouldn’t say such things without reason.

If that was the case, there must be a reason behind it. That assistant was definitely not an ordinary person.

“Your Majesty, what is the background of this assistant?”

The king gave him a hidden glance and coldly said, “Have you heard about the Duncans from Chritie?”

The palace attendant was stunned for a moment, then widened his eyes and looked at the king in fear.

“The Duncans?”

The king nodded, revealing Branden’s identity.

“He is the current head of the Duncans. It’s already strange enough for him to appear in Ravenloth, and now that he’s with Dr. Sugar, I’m not sure what the relationship is between them.”

The palace attendant understood the king’s deep concern. The Duncans from Chritie were a very powerful family, and if they were involved with the Hacker Alliance…

Once this piece of news was confirmed and spread to the world, it would undoubtedly cause a huge uproar, and the dynamics of a lot of things would change drastically as a result.

The palace attendant finally understood why this “assistant” dared to openly disregard their king’s power. Because he was even more powerful!

Chapter 502 Return to Casier At the Swanns’.

Withal was investigating the account of the Bank of Nospines on the computer. After seeing a series of numbers change, he happily waved his hand to greet Catherine.

“Catherine, we’ve got the money.”

Just now, they received the commission from Ravenloth, marking the completion of this mission.

Catherine was leaning on the side, playing a game. As the sound of gunfire rang out, a burst of green smoke rose, signifying the end of the battle.

She threw her phone aside and turned her gaze back to Withal.

“Contact Rodge and transfer the money to him.”

“Are we giving it to Arbotte Laboratory again?” Withal felt a bit distressed.

Although this sum of money belonged to Catherine, and she could spend it however she liked, the operation of Arbotte Laboratory was too expensive.

Several hundred million dollars were being used there, and Catherine didn’t allow anyone to complain about it.

Catherine glanced at Withal again, and he understood what she meant. He dared not say anything more and immediately called Rodge.

Rodge’s laboratory was in dire need of funds. He had originally planned to hold on a little longer before contacting Catherine. After all, he had indeed spent too much money, but he didn’t expect to receive a call from Withal so soon.

With the new funds coming in, the laboratory became active again. Rodge couldn’t be happier.

“Mr. Withal, please thank the chief for me!”

Withal reluctantly said, “Save it.”

Every time Rodge said thanks, it cost several hundred million dollars, and Withal couldn’t afford it.

The only one who could afford it was Catherine. Just as Withal finished the call with Rodge, Branden returned with Paxton.

When Withal returned with Catherine, he noticed that Branden and Paxton were not there. Thinking that they had probably gone out for something, he asked others and found out that they had been summoned to the palace by the king.

Withal immediately panicked, thinking that the king wanted to renege on the deal and hold Branden and Paxton hostage. He immediately planned to rush to the palace.

But he was stopped by Catherine, who looked at him with an indifferent expression and asked, “Do you think the Duncans are pushovers?”

This simple sentence brought Withal back to reality. Catherine was right. If even Branden couldn’t handle the situation, Withal would only make things worse by going there.

Branden was Catherine’s man, so if Catherine wasn’t worried at all, Withal shouldn’t be too.

Withal regained his composure.

As Catherine expected, the king obediently allowed Branden to return. As soon as Branden entered, he walked straight towards Catherine and sat down next to her.

After he took his seat, Catherine comfortably leaned against his thigh.

“Is everything taken care of?” Catherine raised an eyebrow and looked at Branden. Branden nodded slightly. “I’ve taken care of my end. What about you?”

Catherine smirked, feeling somewhat proud. “I’ve got the money, anyway.”

Seeing her joyful expression, Branden reached out and patted her head. ” Great, when are you planning to go back?”

Without hesitation, Catherine answered, “Now!”

Paxton and Withal, who were nearby, exchanged a glance subconsciously, thinking that Catherine was acting a bit crazy.

Although they all wanted to return as soon as possible, this seemed a bit rushed. In the next moment, Catherine realized that the time she mentioned was a bit tight.

It might be too late to contact the airlines now, so she was planning to change the schedule. However, to her surprise, Branden nodded and agreed to her idea.

“Alright, go upstairs and pack. I’ll arrange the plane. We’ll leave soon!”

Catherine hesitated and asked him, ” Won’t it be too tight on time?”

“No!” Branden looked at her tenderly.” The exam results will be announced tomorrow. It’s perfect to go back in the evening so we can check the results together tomorrow.”

Branden thought that she wanted to rush back to check the exam results, but in fact, Catherine just wanted to go back to her homeland and enjoy the food there, as she was tired of the cuisine in Ravenloth.

Even though many of the ingredients were flown in from Chritie, the taste was still different from what she had in her home country.

Hearing this, Paxton knew that this matter had been settled and there was no room for negotiation. He obediently contacted the airlines and urgently arranged the flight.

His boss, Branden, really doted on his woman. Even if Catherine said she wanted the moon, he would contact the space agency without hesitation.

Seeing Branden doting on his wife to the point of madness, Paxton sighed silently and shook his head as he left.

Withal quietly gave a thumbs-up to Catherine. “Catherine, I’ll go pack and leave with you too. There’s no need for me to stay here anymore.”

They had arrived silently, and they left without a trace.

It wasn’t until the plane took off and left Ravenloth’s airspace that the king received the news. He was furious. “You bunch of idiots! Four grown adults left just like that, and you didn’t know?”

The officials responsible for the investigation knelt on the ground, afraid to utter a word. They truly didn’t expect this group of people to be so powerful.

The private plane slowly landed at the airport in Casier. This was a private exclusive apron where the Duncans’ private planes in Casier took off and landed. As soon as the plane came to a stop, the Duncans’ guards approached respectfully, waiting by the side.

The sudden appearance of the guards surprised the people on the plane. Withal couldn’t help but make a joke. “I know our identities are somewhat special, but do we really need such a grand reception?”

Branden subtly glanced at Paxton, who immediately went forward to inquire about the situation. Afterwards, Paxton looked at Branden with a serious expression.

“Boss, Mr. Karl requests your presence.

Branden’s eyebrows slightly furrowed. “I see. Send Catherine back first.”

Right after Branden said that, Paxton looked at Branden with a reluctant expression. “Boss, Mr. Karl said he wants you to bring Miss Swann along.”

After Paxton finished his sentence, he shrank his neck and didn’t dare to move. He understood better than anyone else the importance of Catherine to Branden. Now that Karl suddenly wanted to see her, he didn’t know what was going on. Moreover, it seemed that Karl didn’t inform Branden in advance.

No one knew why Karl wanted to see Catherine. What if it was because of something unpleasant? What would happen?

Branden’s slightly furrowed brows tightened. He turned his head to look at Catherine. As long as she showed any displeasure, he would immediately refuse Karl’s request, even if it would anger Karl.

However, Catherine showed no displeasure. She just nodded indifferently. “Let’s go!”

Hearing Catherine’s response, Branden asked, “Are you really going?”

Catherine nodded without hesitation.” Since I’m invited, why not?”

Chapter 503 The Adorable Side of Karl

The Duncans, a prominent family, have been located in the southwest corner of Casier for centuries. There had always been a legend that this place was a gathering point for spiritual energy.

It was rumored that one of the ancestors of the Duncans was a powerful psychic who recognized the auspiciousness of this location and built the ancestral home here, ensuring the prosperity of the Duncans for generations. Although Catherine wasn’t a psychic, she couldn’t deny that the Duncans chose a great location. Nestled by the mountains and rivers, it was a pleasant place to live in.

The car came to a steady stop in the courtyard, and Paxton stepped out of the car to open the door for Branden before standing aside obediently.

Branden walked around to the other side of the car and opened the door for Catherine.

Catherine stepped out of the car and entered the house together with Branden.

Unlike the modern-style architecture outside, the living room of the house was full of traditional decorations. The crimson color added a sense of solemnity and dignity to the entire room.

As soon as Catherine sat down, she heard the sound of a cane tapping on the floor coming from the side. She turned her head and saw Karl walking towards them energetically with his cane.

Karl had injured his leg when he was young, and now that he was older, he needed the cane to walk properly. Although he was nearing his twilight years, there was still a faint aura of dominance surrounding him that made people hesitate to meet his gaze.

After Karl sat down, Catherine stood up voluntarily and bowed slightly as a gesture of respect.

Karl was an elder, and although Catherine was usually not bound by formalities, she was not a disrespectful person.

Seeing her stand up and bow, Karl, who had originally wanted to maintain a serious demeanor, suddenly became less composed. He quickly extended his hand and gestured for Catherine to sit down, saying, “Please, have a seat. No need to be so polite.”

Catherine sat down with a calm expression on her face, her demeanor still indifferent and distant. Karl’s presence didn’t affect her.

Karl squinted his eyes and glanced at Catherine from time to time. He thought no one had noticed, but even Paxton could see it all.

Suddenly, Branden, who had been ignored by Karl the whole time, spoke up.

“Grandpa, since everyone is here, you can tell us why you want us here now.”

Sensing Branden’s impatience, Karl glared fiercely at him.

“Now?” Karl thought. “Not even close, boy. How can you be so impatient? Stay cool, kid. You’re a Duncan!”

If it weren’t for Catherine’s presence, Karl would have raised his cane to hit Branden, teaching Branden a lesson.

“You’ve been gone for almost half a month, and I asked you to come back. Do you have any objections?”

Branden glanced at Karl coldly, his gaze indicating that his patience had reached its limit.

Seeing Branden’s stubbornness, Karl shifted his gaze to Catherine.

“Cassie, it’s been a long time since I last saw you. I almost forgot what you looked like. Why didn’t you come and visit me?”

The last time Karl saw Catherine was at Bryan’s birthday party, almost half a year ago.

Karl’s sudden enthusiasm caught everyone off guard. Initially, they were worried that Karl would make things difficult for Catherine, creating some melodramatic family drama. But judging from his tone, it felt more like he was coaxing Catherine, without any intention of causing any trouble.

Fortunately, Catherine was always calm and composed. She could handle any situation with ease. She calmly explained, “I was busy with an exam before.”

Catherine had just arrived from the airport, but she still managed to tell such a lie in a calm demeanor, earning everyone’s admiration.

Surprisingly, Karl fell for it, nodding in understanding after hearing Catherine’s explanation.

“An exam? Well, it’s normal to be busy. Now that the exam is over, come here whenever you have time. Don’t mind the shabby condition. If you’re worried about the distance, I’ll arrange a car to pick you up!”

Karl’s attitude left the servants of the Duncans dumbfounded. How could the magnificent century-old mansion be referred to as a shabby house? Moreover, such disdainful words were said by Karl, which was unbelievable.

Catherine nodded slightly, accepting Karl’s generous invitation.

Branden sat calmly on the side, silent, but the slight arch of his eyebrow revealed his inner thoughts.

Amongst the people present, no one understood Karl better than Branden. Karl was a smart person. He knew that Catherine was lying, but he still went along with it because he wasn’t seeking a result, but rather a way out. Now that Catherine had given him a way out, he naturally followed suit.

Branden discreetly lifted the cup of coffee by his side and took a sip, then firmly placed the cup back on the saucer, making a crisp sound.

Instantly, all eyes turned to Branden.

He calmly waved his hand and said, ” Oops, slipped!”

Slipped? That was just an excuse!

Karl, his grandfather, saw through Branden’s little trick faster than anyone else. Branden was probably annoyed by his preaching and reminding him to finish the talk quickly.

In other families, when the daughters grew up, they didn’t want to stay. How come in his family, everyone wanted to leave?

Karl’s son, always out of the house because of his wife, had left Karl with no choice but to put his hopes on his grandson, Branden.

But Branden’s performance was even worse.

What trouble had the Duncans gotten themselves into? Why were they always involved in these silly romantic affairs?

Despite his own disapproval, Karl had to respect his grandson’s wishes. If he didn’t speak up, he worried that Branden would throw a tantrum and never come to see him again.

“I invited you here today mainly because it’s been a long time since I last saw you, and also because I want you to accompany me to a banquet in Loxton tomorrow night.”

The Duncans were originally from Loxton, but for various reasons, they had moved to Casier. Karl still had connections with many prestigious families in Loxton.

Branden was about to refute his grandfather and say that he could go meet the people himself. He didn’t want to get Catherine involved.

Before he could say that, Catherine suddenly spoke up.

“Sure!”

Surprised that she agreed to such a request, Branden turned to look at her.

Catherine remained expressionless, her face calm.

While Branden wasn’t paying attention, Karl had been winking and nudging at her.

Seeing how adorable Karl was, Catherine thought it would be fine to help him once, so she willingly agreed.

As they locked eyes, Branden could see Catherine’s intentions through her gaze.

Since Catherine agreed, Branden had no reason to oppose.

Thinking of the fact that they were brought here right after they got off the plane, Branden was worried that Catherine might be too tired. So, he pulled her up and said to Karl, “I’ll take her there tomorrow!”

Without waiting for Karl’s approval, he immediately pulled her away.

This infuriated Karl, who angrily banged his cane on the ground. As they walked away, he couldn’t help but curse, “You ungrateful brat…”

Chapter 504 The Welcoming Gift

The next day at noon, Catherine woke up and saw Branden sitting at the end of the bed, working on his computer. Judging by his appearance, he had been sitting there for quite some time.

Catherine groggily got up and sat upright on the bed. Branden, noticing that Catherine was awake, looked up at her.

His voice was so gentle as he asked, ” Would you like some water?”

Catherine weakly nodded, her eyes still closed. Branden picked up the glass of warm water he had prepared and handed it to Catherine.

The warm water instantly warmed her whole body, and Catherine slowly woke up. She leaned against Branden’s chest, her posture extremely comfortable, with a contented look on her face.

“Aren’t you going to the office today?”

Catherine remembered clearly hearing Paxton say yesterday that there were a lot of documents piling up at the company that Branden needed to sign. She originally thought Branden would be at the office, but she didn’t expect him to stay and work at home.

In response to Catherine’s question, a rare expression of helplessness appeared on Branden’s face. This expression surprised Catherine a bit. It was the first time she had seen Branden show such a look.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. Get up. I’ll make you some oatmeal. Rolled oats, okay?”

Catherine didn’t like oatmeal, but she had low blood sugar.

In addition to providing Catherine with the sugar from fruits on a daily basis, Branden would also specially prepare some sweet oatmeal for her.

Catherine originally didn’t like this kind of sweet oatmeal, but Branden always managed to make it to her liking. After eating it a few times, Catherine got used to it.

While Branden went to prepare rolled oats, Catherine lazily got out of bed and wandered around the living room with nothing to do. Her natural sensitivity made her notice something was wrong, so she walked to the balcony and looked down.

A row of black cars parked downstairs greeted her eyes, all Rolls-Royces, looking majestic and imposing.

At that moment, Catherine suddenly understood why Branden had been acting so strangely today and didn’t even go to the company. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go, but that he couldn’t.

She walked to the kitchen and looked at Branden who was busy cooking.

“Are those people downstairs sent by your grandfather?”

Who could arrange for so many Rolls- Royces to pick them up downstairs like this? Catherine couldn’t think of anyone other than Karl.

Branden put down the spoon in his hand and turned around to look at Catherine, raising an eyebrow with a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

Sensing Branden’s helplessness, Catherine couldn’t help but smile. They had even come to their doorstep to wait for them. It seemed that Karl was worried that Branden would go back on his word.

“How about we skip the rolled oats? We still have to go to Loxton, don’t we?”

Although the banquet usually took place in the evening, it would still take a two-hour flight from Casier to Loxton.

“No need. It’ll be ready soon. Take your time!”

Branden brought out the cooked rolled oats and placed them in front of Catherine.

“It’s a little hot. Be careful.”

Catherine knew that he hadn’t eaten yet, so she filled a bowl and handed it to him. Branden didn’t actually like sweet food, but he was forced to eat a little bit each time just to accompany Catherine.

Seeing Catherine quietly eating her oatmeal, Branden casually started a conversation. “If you don’t want to go, just tell me. Don’t worry about my grandpa.”

Although Branden didn’t know the purpose of Karl’s trip today, he knew very well that Catherine wasn’t the type to join in the crowd. She always kept her distance from such gatherings.

If it weren’t for that, Karl wouldn’t have resorted to such measures to pick them up.

But then again, it was just a meal, and Catherine didn’t think it was a big deal. It was Branden who was overly considerate of her emotions and seemed a bit hesitant.

“No need!” Catherine casually declined Branden’s kindness. “Just tell me when it’s time to leave!”

After saying that, Catherine placed the empty bowl on the table and walked away. Watching her retreating figure, Branden remained motionless. He lifted the bowl of oatmeal and took another sip.

For some reason, he felt that the oatmeal in his mouth tasted overly sweet. Karl was getting impatient and was about to get out of the car, but thinking about Branden’s temper, he sat back down.

With a stern face, he instructed the butler beside him, “Go and check why they haven’t come down yet.”

The butler had a mournful expression as he looked at Karl.

“Sir, since you don’t dare to go, how can I have the courage to do that?”

Karl’s face immediately darkened. ”

What do you mean I don’t dare to go? Is there anything in this world that I’m afraid of? Stop talking nonsense!”

Sensing Karl’s vaguely visible anger, the butler quickly apologized, “Sorry, sir, it was my mistake. I’m the coward!”

While apologizing, the butler couldn’t help but suppress a laugh in his heart. If Karl wasn’t afraid, why would he ask him to do that?

Karl glared at the butler. “Do it now!”

The butler had no choice but to obediently get out of the car, ready to go upstairs. Just as he turned around and looked up, he saw the persons he wanted to see.

He quickly turned back to report to Karl, “Sir, look!”

Karl looked up and saw Branden leading Catherine out of the gate.

Branden’s gaze never left Catherine, showing that he was truly interested in her.

Thinking about the imminent realization of the dream of having great -grandchildren, Karl became excited. He had constantly reminded himself on the way here to maintain a cold and elder-like attitude in front of Catherine. But when he saw Catherine, he forgot everything. He pushed the car door open and couldn’t wait to get out of the car, waving ahead.

“Cassie, I’m here!”

His voice was loud and powerful, instantly attracting everyone’s attention.

Catherine followed Branden to Karl and took the initiative to greet him.

Karl’s happy smile was about to burst. ” What a coincidence! I didn’t expect to meet you as soon as I arrived!”

Just arrived?

Branden raised an eyebrow and glanced at his grandfather, coldly saying, ” Yeah, it’s surely a coincidence!”

Seeing his grandson about to cause trouble again, Karl immediately glared at him, threatening in a low voice, “You brat, watch your words!”

Catherine stood aside, her eyes narrowed, expressionless. She watched the playful interaction between Karl and Branden.

Regardless of how angry Karl was, Branden remained calm.

Finally, Karl had no choice but to wave his hand impatiently and say, “Alright, let’s go. Get in the car!”

After everyone got in the car, Karl smiled and looked at Catherine.

“You left in a hurry yesterday, Cassie. I didn’t even give you a welcoming gift. I specially brought it today. Here, take it!

Karl took out a brocade box and handed it to Catherine, urging her to open it quickly.

“Hurry up and open it. See if you like it!

Chapter 505 Everfrozen Ruby

Catherine glanced at the brocade box and immediately knew that it was valuable. The craftsmanship of the box was exquisite, and the patterns on it were lifelike and pleasing to the eye.

Catherine didn’t take it immediately. Instead, she turned her head to look at Branden beside her. He was casually lounging on the sofa, seemingly less indifferent. He exuded a bit of a rogue vibe. Perhaps this was the state he revealed in front of his closest people.

In response to Catherine’s questioning gaze, Branden waved his hand and placed the brocade box in Catherine’s hands. “Just take it and open it to see if you like it. If it’s not good, you can give it back. After all, my grandpa has plenty of treasures.”

Only Branden dared to say something like that in front of Karl.

Karl was fuming with anger, his mustache trembling and his nostrils flaring. If it weren’t for Catherine’s presence, he would have already given Branden a good beating.

Suppressing his anger, Karl eagerly looked at Catherine and said, “Cassie, open it and see if you like it or not. If you don’t like it, there are other treasures for you to choose from, whatever you want!”

Under their eager gazes, Catherine opened the brocade box. A purple crescent-shaped ruby pendant greeted her eyes, emitting a faint luster. When she gently twirled it in her fingers, the pendant would emit a faint glow.

The entire ruby pendant was translucent without a trace of impurities. When Catherine held it in her hand, a cold sensation spread through her fingertips and into her blood, gradually spreading upwards.

Catherine suddenly realized something and looked up at Karl. “Everfrozen Ruby!”

Surprised that Catherine could immediately identify the material of the pendant, Karl was momentarily stunned, a hint of delight flashing in his eyes. “Cassie, you know the Everfrozen Ruby?”

Catherine nodded. The Everfrozen Ruby was a precious treasure among rubies, a small piece of which, when worn, could give a person the sensation of warmth in winter and coolness in summer. In ancient times, only emperors could possess such high- quality rubies. It was extremely rare, and ordinary people could hardly even catch a glimpse of it, let alone own it.

Observing the subtle change in Catherine’s eyes, Karl knew that she liked it and felt relieved. He was afraid that the young girls of today only liked branded bags, lacking enthusiasm for these kinds of things. But seeing Catherine not only liking the pendant but also being able to identify its material, he finally felt at ease.

“Cassie, just keep it. Next time you come visit me, I will give you more good stuff!”

Branden sat aside, smiling but remaining silent. Karl was adopting a bribery policy, intending to entice Catherine to visit him more frequently.

Unfortunately, Karl did not know that Catherine was super rich and was not at all interested in such trivial matters.

The Facers, a well-known wealthy family in Loxton, were just as prestigious as the Duncans. It was also a long-established aristocratic family.

Today was the 70th birthday banquet of Conor Facer, the patriarch of the Facers, and the whole city of Loxton was bustling with excitement. The elite families from all around had come to Loxton, as possessing an invitation from the Facers was considered an honor.

The car of the Duncans slowly came to a stop at the entrance of the banquet hall, distinct from the others. The Duncans’ car had the privilege of parking directly at the entrance, a treatment not available to ordinary families. Instantly, all the guests in the banquet hall turned their attention towards it.

The car door opened, and Karl stepped out. Some of the guests recognized him amidst the crowd, their eyes instantly lighting up.

Karl had been renowned worldwide in his younger days, and everyone knew him as a shrewd businessman. However, ever since Branden took over his business, Karl had retired and rarely appeared in public. If it weren’t for Conor’s grand birthday celebration today, it would have been difficult to see Karl.

No wonder the Duncans received such special treatment!

People noticed that the person getting out of the car behind Karl was none other than Branden, the most influential figure in the upper-class circle at present. Among the younger generation, there was no one more powerful than him.

All eyes were on Branden and Karl.

Upon hearing that Karl had arrived, Conor personally came out to greet him. he greeted Karl with a beaming smile. From his appearance, one could hardly tell his age.

“Oh, Karl, it’s very kind of you to be here today!”

As longtime friends for decades, Karl and Conor had a playful and tacit understanding between them.

“Come on, man. This is your 70th birthday celebration! Even if I have to wear a ventilator, I’ll come and give you a round of applause, just to make some noise for you!”

Karl and Conor walked away hand in hand, chatting, leaving the others behind.

Branden turned around and helped Catherine out of the car. He knew that Catherine didn’t enjoy such occasions, and if Conor saw her, she would inevitably be pulled into small talk.

In Branden’s opinion, Catherine’s presence was already a favor to Karl. On this kind of occasion, she didn’t need to socialize. So, he intentionally lagged behind, waiting for Karl and Conor to leave before holding Catherine’s hand and helping her out of the car.

Branden’s appearance became the center of attention. The two top-notch big shots had already left, so people began to watch in Branden’s direction. Seeing Branden carefully supporting a girl out of the car, many people were dumbfounded. It would be difficult to mend the broken hearts of the ladies at the scene.

Among the crowd, a group of beautiful women from the prominent families of Loxton were also watching in Branden’s direction. They were all renowned socialites in Loxton.

Leading the group and standing at the front was Conor’s granddaughter, Jada. She was known as the number one socialite in Loxton. Her eyes lit up when she saw Branden getting out of the car.

However, she didn’t expect that Branden would actually bring a woman with him. She had never seen Branden so close to any woman before. Who was this woman?

Jada’s eyes darkened as she stared at Catherine. Despite her efforts to control herself, her friends still noticed her anger because she couldn’t suppress the jealousy in her heart.

Crystal Brown looked at Jada’s angry expression and felt a sense of satisfaction. She didn’t expect that Jada, who always thought highly of herself, would have a day when she would be jealous over a man.

“Jada, that woman next to Mr. Duncan looks good, but why is she dressed so plainly? Even the waitresses inside the banquet hall are better dressed than her.”

Catherine never liked wearing formal dresses, and she was particularly uninterested in gowns. Branden knew her personality and only prepared clothes that were comfortable for her daily life.

After hearing Crystal’s words, someone immediately chimed in. “Exactly, when Karl was present, that woman didn’t even dare to show up. The way I see it, she doesn’t have a proper background!”

“You’re right!”

Listening to the comments from her friends, Jada felt that her hope was ignited once again. Exactly, only a socialite like her deserved to stand by Branden’s side.

Chapter 506 Provocation

Branden rarely came to Loxton, so many old friends were eager to have a chat with him.

Knowing that Catherine didn’t like to interact with people, Branden settled her in a comfortable seat. After that, he was ready to leave, though with a reluctant look on his face.

“Get some rest here. I’ll be back soon!”

Catherine raised her eyes slightly and gave him a glance, saying nothing.

Branden gently patted her head and turned to leave.

Once Branden was gone, Catherine withdrew her gaze. She reached into her pocket, took out her phone, put on her headphones, and began playing a game.

With Branden gone, Jada and her friends began to openly scrutinize Catherine. One of the women frowned and stared in Catherine’s direction, making a snide comment.

“She’s not bad-looking, but her demeanor can’t compare to Jada’s. I wonder where Branden found this waitress.”

Right after she finished her words, another woman chimed in.

“Jada, isn’t your family already engaged to the Duncans? Now, Mr. Duncan has brought this vixen along. What’s going on?”

The Facers were a well-known wealthy family in Loxton, and coupled with Jada’s exceptional personal qualities, it was extremely rare to find a suitable young man in Loxton who could match her.

Over the years, Jada had no scandals. The outside world had always been saying that the Facers were engaged to the Duncans of Casier, and Jada was already considered Branden’s fiancée by everyone.

Jada herself had never denied it, and over time, it became a fact in everyone’s eyes.

These friends of hers, in order to flatter Jada, belittled Catherine to no end.

Under the escalation of such remarks, Jada could no longer control her temper. She, who was usually quite composed, had been acting recklessly ever since she encountered Branden. She directly led her friends to confront Catherine. In order to maintain the basic etiquette of a socialite, she suppressed her anger and said with a calm expression, “Excuse me, miss…”

Catherine was engrossed in her game with her headphones on, completely indifferent to the people coming and going around her.

In Catherine’s opinion, those so-called political and business elites were not as interesting as the virtual characters in the game. How could she possibly pay attention to them?

Not receiving a response, Jada felt extremely awkward. She didn’t expect Catherine to be so ignorant of her own worth and dare to openly provoke her, the daughter of the Facers.

On such an occasion today, Catherine, a girl who appeared out of nowhere, was being so audacious!

Seeing Catherine having her headphones on, Jada had a cunning smile in her eyes. She wanted to know how long Catherine could keep up the act.

Seizing the moment when Catherine wasn’t paying attention, Jada raised her hand and swung it towards her.

The people standing by were all watching the spectacle, but no one had any intention of stepping in to help. If Jada wanted to teach someone a lesson, it was unlikely that someone could interfere.

Just as the slap was about to land on Catherine’s face, a dark figure whizzed past. Then, a horrified scream echoed through the air as Jada was thrown to the ground, in too much pain to get up.

Meanwhile, Catherine, who had been the target of the attack, remained unscathed, calmly tapping on her phone as if nothing had happened. The people around her hadn’t even caught a glimpse of how she had fought back against Jada.

Jada had met her downfall after approaching Catherine! A few seconds later, several socialites finally snapped out of their shock and helped Jada up.

“She has some nerve. How dare she attack Miss Facer? She’s really asking for trouble.”

After they helped Jada up, they began to insult Catherine.

“Yeah. She’s an insignificant nobody. She thinks she’s something just because she’s gotten close to Mr. Duncan. That’s why she’s acting so recklessly here. She’s just courting death!”

“Exactly! What an ignorant woman! She acts as if she’d married Mr. Duncan!

They seemed to be reprimanding Catherine, but in reality, these words had also crushed Jada’s dignity.

Faced with such humiliation, Jada couldn’t possibly swallow her pride. She was attacked at her own family’s banquet, which was absolutely unacceptable.

Jada was supported to her feet, and she shouted towards the entrance, “Are you all just going to stand there and watch? Take this crazy woman down!”

The security at a banquet like this was extremely strict. In order not to disturb the esteemed guests, the security team remained hidden in the shadows.

Hearing Jada’s shout, a group of bodyguards immediately rushed out. The imposing bodyguards made Jada’s confidence soar. She wanted to let Catherine know the price that Catherine would pay for attacking her.

As a round of games ended, Catherine put away her phone. Just then, the captain of the bodyguards came rushing over, and Catherine glanced at him.

Her icy gaze swept coldly over his face, causing the bodyguard to freeze for a moment. Then, something astonishing happened.

The captain, who had just been full of indignation, suddenly knelt in front of Catherine, bowing his head respectfully.

When people present saw this, they were dumbfounded, especially Jada, who knew that this newly appointed captain was a top-notch mercenary her grandfather had paid a lot of money to hire. Only for such a significant banquet would he be assigned, and he wouldn’t appear in ordinary events.

Now that he was here, he actually kneeled in front of Catherine. What was going on?

Jada glared at him and scolded, “Baron Jones, what are you doing? I asked you to take her down. Why did you kneel to her?”

Catherine calmly observed Jada, her eyes cold and indifferent. She grew impatient with Jada’s incessant chatter, responding in a cold voice, ” You sure talk a lot!”

“How dare you…” Jada trembled with anger. She didn’t expect this girl to be so audacious and dare to speak to her like that.

“Damn it!”

After reprimanding Catherine, Jada cursed Baron furiously, “Why are you still kneeling there? Take this woman down!”

Baron’s expression remained cold and stern. Although Jada was his employer, his contract clearly stated that he had the right to refuse to carry out tasks that endangered his life.

“Sorry, Miss Facer. I can’t do it,” Baron said, his words landing like a hard slap on Jada’s face.

She couldn’t even command her own bodyguard, especially at a banquet like this! If this were to spread, how was she supposed to face her friends and family in the future?

Jada was on the verge of going mad!

“Baron Jones, you’re being so insolent. Do you think you’re so great just because you have some skills? I can make it difficult for you to survive in Loxton!”

She wasn’t joking. After all, the Facers had a great deal of influence in Loxton. Although Baron was a mercenary, if the Facers really wanted to deal with him, he would be in trouble.

Baron’s expression changed instantly.

Seeing this, Jada felt a sense of satisfaction. She began to slander Catherine.

“I didn’t expect you, a seemingly insignificant woman, to be so cunning. You flirt with Mr. Duncan while entangling yourself with Baron Jones, making him dare to defy even his employer’s orders.”

Jada thought that Baron didn’t act against Catherine because he had a romantic relationship with Catherine.

Chapter 507 I’m Here to Support Her

Jada’s words made everyone look at Catherine with increasing disdain. Compared to the powerful and influential Jada Facer, Catherine, a woman of unknown origin, naturally became the target of criticism.

The crowd supported Jada and despised Catherine. However, Catherine’s gaze fell on Baron, and with just a glance, she recognized him.

“Code 021?”

Baron nodded. He had seen Catherine once on the battlefield when she was their team’s highest commander, leading them in a borderless rescue mission.

Catherine was a woman with a petite figure. How could these brave and skilled mercenaries possibly take orders from her?

But in the end, Catherine proved herself with her formidable strength. She made everyone willingly obey her commands, establishing herself as the most powerful candidate for commander.

Not to mention just Baron alone, even if there were ten more, they would be no match for Catherine.

Offending Jada would, at most, result in financial compensation and some physical discomfort, but offending Catherine meant torture that was more unbearable than death.

Baron wasn’t stupid, so naturally, he made a wise choice.

The commotion in the banquet hall alerted Karl and Branden. Branden rushed over as soon as he heard that something happened to Catherine, standing by her side.

Accompanying Karl was Conor. As soon as he appeared, without Jada saying anything, the people nearby immediately came forward to complain on her behalf.

“Mr. Facer, this girl appeared out of nowhere and attacked Miss Facer. Even this bodyguard is on her side!”

Conor glanced at his granddaughter. When he saw her embarrassed appearance, his expression darkened. He then turned his gaze to Catherine.

Catherine calmly sat by the side, exuding a faint aura of dominance.

Conor couldn’t discern any emotions from her face. It was quite rare for a young girl to possess such composure and calmness.

Standing beside Catherine was Branden. Although the Duncans didn’t reside in Loxton, Conor had heard quite a bit about Karl’s grandson. He had seen Branden a few times. When had he ever seen Branden act so intimately with a woman?

Even the Duncans themselves might not receive much attention from Branden. Now, in public, he was being so close to a girl. Could it be that…

Conor furrowed his brows. He originally planned to take advantage of this opportunity, where his old friend personally attended his birthday celebration, to discuss the engagement between Jada and Branden.

However, something unexpected happened.

Considering Branden’s attitude toward Catherine, Conor didn’t directly confront her but instead first asked for clarification.

“Miss, is there some misunderstanding? Why did you attack my granddaughter?”

Catherine nonchalantly set down her phone and looked up at Conor, giving a nonchalant response.

“She was too noisy!”

This comment was even more embarrassing than the last one of Catherine’s. Jada couldn’t control her anger any longer and rushed in front of Branden. She was well aware that without Branden’s support, this woman wouldn’t dare to be so arrogant.

“Mr. Duncan, have you seen how arrogant her attitude is? She completely disregards everyone. Are you going to let her tarnish your reputation?”

Upon hearing Jada’s accusations, the people around couldn’t help but come forward in support.

“What a shameless woman!”

“How could she be so rude?”

“She has no manners at all. How did such a person infiltrate our circle?”

Several women took turns criticizing Catherine, belittling her to the point of worthlessness.

After receiving support from the crowd, Jada became even more arrogant and once again questioned Branden, “Mr. Duncan, this woman not only tarnished your reputation but also brought everyone’s discontent. Shouldn’t you say something to ensure justice?”

“Humph…” Branden sneered coldly, his voice extremely gloomy. “Ensure justice?”

Seeing his expression, Jada couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. But she still refused to back down. She was sure that if Catherine admitted to her wrongdoing, Branden would stop protecting Catherine immediately.

“Mr. Duncan, I implore you to ensure justice!”

Branden’s face grew colder, and his eyes grew darker. He placed his hand on Catherine’s waist, pulling her closer to him, and said in an overbearing tone, “I’m here to support her, not to ensure justice!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of the girls who had just slandered Catherine changed

drastically, their eyes filled with panic.

As Branden’s face grew darker, the atmosphere at the scene gradually became thick with tension.

All eyes were focused on Jada. The Facers were the most powerful family and the only one capable of resisting the Duncans.

Jada immediately realized that something was wrong. She turned to her grandfather for help.

“Grandpa, look at Branden. He’s completely infatuated with this woman!

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Conor reprimanded Jada.

Given their respective positions, Conor wouldn’t compete with Branden. He turned around and began conversing with Karl, who was standing behind him.

“Karl, who is this young lady?”

Conor, in his younger days, was a prominent figure with exceptional skills and a keen mind.

Since Branden dared to defend Catherine so firmly in public, aside from Branden’s own power, there might be a connection with Karl.

Karl had initially planned to be a bystander and watch his grandson play the hero. Unexpectedly, Conor suddenly questioned him, leaving him with no choice but to respond.

He smiled at Conor, pointed at Catherine, and had a somewhat proud expression on his face.

“Conor, she looks amazing, huh? She’s my future granddaughter-in-law, Catherine!”

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was shocked. They had originally thought that Karl didn’t like Catherine. However, not only was Karl’s attitude towards her favorable, but he also openly acknowledged her identity.

Even Conor was momentarily stunned. However, he quickly regained his composure and calmly congratulated Karl.

“Congratulations, you are truly lucky, Karl. Branden gets engaged at such a young age, which is enviable!”

On the surface, he was congratulating Karl, but in fact, he was reminding Karl that Branden didn’t require an early public engagement based on Branden’s age and status.

After hearing this, Karl burst into laughter.

“It’s about time. I’ve been looking forward to it for over a decade. Once Cassie graduates from college, I will arrange for them to get married. And then, I’ll have fulfilled Vicente’s wishes! Let me tell you something, Conor. Cassie is Vicente’s granddaughter. She was betrothed to my grandson, Branden, at a young age!

Everyone had initially thought that Catherine was an insignificant girl with no status, but it turned out that she was the daughter of the Swanns and had been betrothed to Branden since childhood.

The people who had mocked Catherine earlier were now in a panic.

Chapter 508 I Don’t Need a Reason

Jada was infuriated by the Duncans’ words. She couldn’t believe that not only did Branden defend Catherine, but even Karl did as well. Karl publicly stated that Catherine had been betrothed to Branden since childhood. What could she say now? Wouldn’t she become a laughingstock in Loxton after today?

Jada was so angry that she wanted Conor, her grandfather, to stand up for her. “Grandpa, they…”

Before Jada could finish her sentence, Conor sternly interrupted her, “Jada, stop making a scene!”

Conor knew that Jada had suffered a loss this time, but there was nothing he could do to seek justice for her. Today was his birthday banquet, and there was no need to make a fuss. Judging from Karl’s attitude and Branden’s behavior, Catherine was someone the Facers couldn’t afford to offend, even though she hadn’t officially become a part of the Duncans.

Conor had known Karl for decades, but he had never seen Karl defend anyone so firmly in public. It was evident how much Karl loved this future granddaughter-in-law of his.

Perhaps even Branden’s mother was not qualified to be treated in this way.

Despite Conor’s dissuasion, Jada was still unhappy. She had never felt so embarrassed in her life. She even felt that the gazes around her were mocking her as if she had been stripped naked and thrown on the street.

She stomped her feet in anger and shouted at Conor, “Grandpa, say something! Are we afraid of the Duncans? Today is the Facers’ banquet.

This woman openly assaulted me, which is a serious insult to the reputation of the Facers.”

Jada’s voice was sharp, and Catherine had already taken off her earphones. The piercing sound was like a screeching cat, causing Catherine’s eyebrows to slightly furrow.

Catherine couldn’t tolerate it anymore, and she didn’t need to. Before Branden could intervene, she stood up directly.

Catherine was much taller than Jada, and as Catherine stood up, the domineering aura she exuded gradually intensified.

Jada couldn’t believe that Catherine was still so arrogant. She thought that Catherine was taking advantage of the Duncans’ power. This made Jada even more dissatisfied.

“Grandpa, look at her. She doesn’t think she’s wrong, and she’s still so arrogant!”

“Hmph!” Catherine snorted coldly, her expression icy as she stared at Jada.” Yeah, I’m arrogant, but what can you do about it?”

Furious, Jada instantly retorted, “You hit me! What makes you think you have the right to be so arrogant?”

Her goal was to make Catherine a target of public criticism. She didn’t believe that the Duncans would tolerate a woman who was despised by everyone.

Playing tricks and acting innocent might work on others, but to Catherine, it was a joke.

Catherine took a step forward and crossed her arms. She didn’t say anything, but her imposing aura alone could overwhelm Jada.

“I hit you, so what? I don’t need a reason for that.”

Such arrogance shocked the onlookers. They had never seen someone so audacious before.

Even Conor was momentarily stunned.

Karl, who was standing beside them, didn’t get angry at Catherine’s arrogance. Instead, there was a hint of admiration in his eyes. He felt a surge of excitement in his heart. “As the woman my grandson has chosen,” he murmured inwardly, “being domineering is necessary!”

Baron, who had been silent on the side, noticed Conor’s attitude. He knew that Conor had been provoked by Catherine’s behavior.

In Baron’s opinion, the reason Catherine could be so arrogant was that she had the power to behave like that.

As he was currently employed by the Facers, he decided to do something for his employers.

Baron stood up and approached Conor, whispering a few words. Conor’s expression changed instantly. He turned his head and looked at Baron with a serious gaze, confirming the truth behind his words.

Baron understood Conor’s meaning and looked sincerely at him. “Mr. Facer, please believe me!”

Conor had investigated Baron’s background and work experiences before hiring him as the Facers’ bodyguard, so when Baron said this, Conor knew he was telling the truth.

After a few seconds, Conor’s face became calm, but his eyes remained chilling. He looked at Baron and said, ” Take Jada away!”

Baron knew that Conor believed what he had said. He followed Conor’s order without hesitation and took Jada away. Regardless of her struggles, he didn’t loosen his grip on her.

Having forcibly sent away his granddaughter, Conor smiled at Karl, glancing in Catherine’s direction. He casually said, “Karl, you’re so lucky!”

However, the smile on Conor’s face soon faded.

Karl was taken aback, not knowing what Conor was up to. But he knew that Conor wouldn’t compromise unless he encountered a tough opponent.

Karl forced a smile and bantered with Conor for a while.

Under the bantering of the two big shots, the banquet returned to its previous lively atmosphere. However, everyone present tonight would remember the name “Catherine.

After all, who could maintain such an arrogant attitude after hitting Jada at a birthday banquet held by the Facers? There probably wouldn’t be a second person like her in the entire Loxton.

On the second floor of the banquet hall.

In the study, Conor sat majestically at the head of the table, while his son, Franklin Facer, stood in front of him.

Franklin was the eldest son of the Facers and the father of Jada. Conor was now in a semi-retired state, with half of the Facers’ power falling on Franklin’s shoulders.

After receiving the news about his daughter, Franklin immediately went to his father.

“Dad, even though the Duncans are powerful, we’re not in Casier. Now, Branden’s woman is openly provoking us. She even hit Jada. Are we just going to let her get away with it? What about the reputation of the Facers?”

After Franklin knew what Catherine did to his daughter, his face turned dark with rage.

The Facers had never been humiliated like this before!

The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension.

Conor, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly looked up, his sharp gaze directed at his son.

“Reputation, huh? Today is my 70th birthday, and an audacious came to my door and slapped my granddaughter in the face. Isn’t that the same as humiliating us all? Of course, I’m angry!

Conor’s words made sense, but Franklin didn’t understand why his father was tolerating this.

“Dad, then, why didn’t you…”

“Do you think I’m afraid of the Duncans?” Conor glared at his son in anger.

Seeing that Franklin still didn’t understand, Conor pointed at Baron.

“You tell him. What is the background of that girl named Catherine Swann!”

Chapter 509 Mysterious Background

Franklin was incredibly astonished to hear about Catherine’s background. He frowned looking at Baron as he asked quizzically, “Were you mistaken?

“I heard she is just a young woman and barely a grown-up. How could she be capable of this?”

Baron shook his head firmly. “Mr. Facer, regarding this, I’m absolutely sure. Even though the commander’s face was covered, I recognized those eyes. We worked together for 7 days. The commander has an unusually powerful aura, so I can still remember it!”

Franklin did not suspect Baron’s background at all. After all, his father had picked the man, so he trusted Baron.

Also, Baron had quite a reputation in the mercenary trade, and his words could be trusted.

“Then, do you know more about her background?”

The Swanns’ granddaughter had become the highest authority in a mercenary team. Even though neither things had anything to do with each other on the surface, they were the same thing. This was genuinely mind- boggling.

“I’m not sure either, but one thing I know for sure. The commander is not merely a member of the family!”

Just that family alone was not enough to pull this off.

As for the rest, he could not say more. He was simply hired by the Facers, so he had no intention of using his life to show his loyalty.

The Duncans alone were hard enough to handle. If Catherine had a background as powerful as the Duncans, the Facers could not afford to offend her.

No wonder Franklin’s father wanted to quietly move on. After giving it some thought, he decided to do the same.

“Sigh. In that case, let’s just let things slide, huh? We can always take care of them when the right opportunity arises!”

Inside the study, no one knew that someone was listening to their conversation.

Jada was standing outside the study. Hearing her father’s decision, she was so angry that she wanted to explode.

Let things slide, huh?

How could they?

Who did the Swanns think they were?

She would never let Catherine off for this.

Halfway through the banquet, Catherine was so tired that she wanted to sleep.

The people at the banquet were still very excited about the opportunity to expand their network. She looked quite different from them.

The Duncans from Casier were a powerful family globally, let alone in Loxton.

Usually, it was a luxury to even see Branden. Now that he had finally appeared at a banquet, everyone wanted to talk to him and befriend him.

However, Mr. Duncan was holding Catherine the entire time, with a cold and distant expression on his face.

He was such an intimidating man. Who would dare to approach him?

Did it look like anyone had a death wish?

Karl walked around the banquet before he slowly came back.

He could already see his grandson’s threatening looks. If he did not come back soon, his grandson might lose his temper.

When he got to Branden, Karl pretended to only just notice Branden’s impatience and said, “Cassie looks tired. Why don’t we head back first? I’ve already chatted with my friends.”

After hearing what Karl said, Branden could not even be bothered to be polite. He held Catherine and left openly.

His actions left all eyes turning to him.

Sure, men could dote on their women, but this was to an excessive degree.

Moreover, with Branden’s status and identity, he was one in a million. A moment ago, people were judging Catherine for using Branden to climb the social ladder. But now, they were overwhelmed by envy.

It was not an easy task to gain the favor of Branden to begin with.

Catherine was doted on not only by Branden but also by his grandfather, Karl. This made everyone extremely jealous of her.

Seeing Branden walk off, the surrounding people finally dared to gossip softly.

“That girl from the Swanns is so lucky. Just look at the way Branden dotes on her. He simply adores her, right?”

“Vicente was the smart one. Haven’t you heard? They were engaged as young children. Branden is such a catch!”

“Sigh. They were engaged as kids. If the Facers and the Duncans are going to enter a political marriage, then what about Miss Facer?”

The person talking did not get along with the Facers. Now that someone was mocking Jada, she could not resist chiming in, “Hmph. Who knows? Everyone thought the Facers would combine powers with the Duncans and move up the ladder. From the looks of it, it was just wishful thinking!”

As Jada went down the stairs, she happened to hear the conversation.

The expression on her face became increasingly stiff. She clenched the hands hanging by the sides of her body as tightly as she could. Otherwise, she might have thrown a temper publicly.

She had never suffered so much embarrassment in all her life.

Because of Catherine, she had shockingly embarrassed herself in front of all of the high society in Loxton. How could she take it lying down?

Her grandfather and father had already told her to let it slide, but she would never let this happen to herself.

Catherine, huh?

Just wait. She would definitely seek revenge for this. After coming back to Casier from Loxton, the results happened to be due for release.

Catherine did not feel like checking her results, but the homeroom teacher, Miss Joyce, called her to come to the school.

Catherine dragged her exhausted self back to school. It had been a long time since she had seen the class.

Catherine was not the only person called to come to school. Some other students were also there.

Ronin, Bryan, and Liana were all there!

Seeing Catherine, Ronin could no longer control his emotions and lunged at her excitedly.

“Catherine, you went away for so long. I missed you so badly!”

Catherine reached her hand out to stroke his head before she replied, ” Good boy!”

It did not take much. Just two words alone were enough to make up for everything.

Seeing Catherine’s exhaustion, Ronin hurriedly pulled over a chair and let her sit down. He knew that Catherine had gone to Scorpion Island to train some mercenaries.

Those people must have been incredibly intimidating. Catherine must have lost a lot of sleep this time around.

She was going through puberty, so losing sleep was not good for her growing body. She should take the opportunity to relax a little now!

When Liana saw Catherine appearing, she frowned hard.

Liana roughly knew the reason they were called to school. Their school was one of the best in Casier and ranked well nationally.

Each year, after the SATs were over, representatives from the top colleges would visit to select a batch of students ahead of time.

She felt that she was probably here today for just that. She must be here to see the representatives from the various colleges and get offered a place first.

However, she did not expect to see Catherine here.

What gave Catherine the right to show her face?

A smug look flashed across Liana’s eyes as she smiled looking at Catherine.

“Catherine, did you come with Ronin or Bryan today? Without either of them, you probably have no right to enter and see things like this, right?”

Liana’s voice was rather loud. Even though Catherine was very sleepy, she heard every word clearly.

She frowned, tilted her head towards Liana, and looked at her coldly. She was clearly annoyed.

“Do you have to talk so much?”

Chapter 510 What’s She Talking About?

Seeing Catherine’s poor attitude, Liana nearly wanted to explode in anger.

“How could you talk like that?”

Catherine did not answer Liana. She did not want to talk to her at all. However, Liana did not want to let her go easy. She looked down at Catherine cockily.

“Catherine, what’s the point, really? You found out why the teacher asked to see us here, so you tagged along desperately. Who got you in? Was it Bryan or Ronin, huh?

“Or did you bribe the homeroom teacher for an opportunity like this?”

As for Catherine and the homeroom teacher’s relationship, Liana had never liked it to begin with.

In her opinion, the homeroom teacher was taking sides with Catherine.

The teacher must have done this because of Catherine’s bribes!

The more Liana thought about it, the angrier she felt. She could not help complaining. She could not let Catherine get her hands on such an opportunity

“Catherine, do you think just because you get to talk to those representatives for advanced college placement, you’ll get the chance to enter a good college? Let me tell you, it’s impossible. It’s all about the grades, okay?”

Despite Liana talking so much, Catherine still looked very lost.

Since Liana was so agitated, Catherine decided to be charitable and give her a degree of reaction.

She leaned back slightly, raised her head to look sideways at Liana, and asked Ronin, “What is she talking about?”

Catherine’s words left Liana scoffing uncontrollably with disdain all over her face.

“Catherine, by now, why do you even bother pretending?”

Liana was probably the only person thinking Catherine was pretending. After knowing Catherine for such a long time, everyone knew she had a firm and decisive personality.

As for pretending…

She despised pretense.

Seeing this, Ronin figured out what was going on.

“Catherine, didn’t the homeroom teacher tell you what you’re doing at school today?”

Catherine replied mildly, “She just told me to come over.”

A knowing look appeared on Ronin’s face.

Usually, when people received such calls from their homeroom teachers, they would automatically ask about the purpose of the meeting. Otherwise, they would find out more on their own, like Liana.

However, Catherine was no ordinary person, so her mind did not operate the same way.

Catherine was willing to come back to school entirely on account of the homeroom teacher. Would she even bother asking questions?

Ronin quickly told Catherine about advanced college placement.

After he was done talking, everyone turned to look at Catherine expectantly.

After all, when Catherine took the exam, everyone knew her arms were injured, so her movements were restricted.

She had trouble even moving, let alone taking a major examination.

Liana was surprised by Catherine’s presence at school, and she was not alone. The other students around them felt the same way.

Seeing the expectant looks on their faces, Catherine answered lazily.

She answered with a single syllable, ” Oh!”

Catherine’s lackluster reaction left everyone disappointed.

Liana was certain that Catherine was only pretending. Catherine had trouble even writing. How could she have good results?

The atmosphere in the classroom felt tense, but it broke when the homeroom teacher entered the room.

She had entered at the perfect time, so Liana stopped trying to argue with Catherine.

If not for maintaining social graces, she even wanted to run up in front of the homeroom teacher and show the teacher her excellent results.

This time during the exam, she was top ten in the county.

Even in a high society school like Loyalty Academy, she was top 3.

She was worthy of being present today!

Class 8 had done well this time, so the homeroom teacher was praised by the school, She looked energetic and particularly happy.

She stood on the podium with all smiles.

“I’d like to congratulate everyone for excellent results this time.”

“I’m sure all of you know the reason you were called to come, right? In that case, I will cut to the chase. The school representatives who are here to select advanced placement students are already next door in the multimedia room. You may go over and talk to them now!”

Once the homeroom teacher told them to go, everyone anxiously went next door.

Undoubtedly, good grades were very important, but it was even more important to pick the right school.

If they could leave a good impression on the college representatives, it would certainly give them an edge.

Liana had done her homework and prepared a lot of documents. She walked over excitedly, afraid of being left behind.

In the class, only Catherine failed to react much and did not move after some time. Ronin was also not anxious. He came to school to be with Catherine.

He would pick whatever Catherine wanted.

“Catherine, let’s go check it out!”

“Uh-huh!”

Catherine finally stood up and went to the multimedia room next door with Ronin.

Inside the room, teachers from the best colleges in the country were waiting. Loyalty Academy was the best high society school in town.

The students here came with powerful backgrounds, and they were particularly professional and had good grades.

The teachers treated the school as a very important place for securing advanced college placement candidates.

Liana had clear goals. She planned on going abroad to study at the best music college and become a well-known pianist.

This way, she would be a model for all high society ladies.

Thanks to Catherine, her chances were affected.

Her mother was unsupportive about her studying abroad. It took a lot of money to study art, and all the family resources were poured onto Catherine right now. They were unable to afford to pay tuition for a music college abroad.

She could only go with plan B and choose finance. In the future, she would snatch everything back from Catherine and run the family businesses.

Hence, Liana approached the representative for the University of Penny the moment she entered through the door.

This was the best college in the country. In Loxton, it was the college with the best finance department.

The best people in the country from the finance trade were mostly from this college.

Liana confidently handed all her information to the advancement placement teacher.

“Sir, here are all my results along with a short introduction about myself. I hope you can take a look!”

The school representative did not need any information. Before coming, they had already gotten their hands on all the information they needed about the schools. They probably knew the results and backgrounds better than them.

Liana was indeed an excellent student and had no problem entering the college.

The advancement placement teacher smiled at Liana and said in a friendly tone, “Liana, you have excellent grades. As you know, finance is the strongest department in our college, so we have high standards. Are you confident about getting in?”

Just as Liana was about to speak, she could sense a commotion behind her.

Even the teacher in front of her was stunned, so she automatically stood up.

She hurriedly turned her head and looked behind her.

“And this is…”

A white-haired professor with two middle-aged assistants went towards a spot in the corner.

The sign on the table in front of him clearly read: Styre University!

If the University of Penny was the best college in the country, then Styre University was the most mysterious college in Chritie.

Styre University students would all get selected by the government. A handful that got left out also got hired by the best companies in the country.

So to speak, having their university diploma was like having the golden ticket.

This mysterious college never took advanced placement students previously. So, what were they doing here?

The people present were excited to see them here. If they got selected by the college, it would be a great honor for their families.