Ch. 511..520
Chapter 511 Cheating
No one expected that Styre University would come to Loyalty Academy to recruit students this time. This was an unprecedented thing.
Liana, who had just been bent on attending the University of Penny, was now shaken.
Being selected by Styre University would naturally be much better than attending the University of Penny.
After all, her grades were in the top three. If she didn’t have a chance in this group of people, the others would have even less.
Liana was about to come forward with her resume. Not only her, but all the students present had such thoughts. Everyone wanted to be the lucky one.
The gray-haired professor sat on the chair with his back straight and his face solemn as he scanned the crowd. After a while, the old professor suddenly spoke.
“Is there a student named Catherine Swann among you!”
Hearing this, the crowd spontaneously made way to reveal Catherine, who was sitting at the very end. Catherine was still playing games with her phone. She had no interest in advance approval.
The sudden attention made Catherine look away from her phone and stare at the crowd. The next second, the old professor stood up and walked towards Catherine.
“Are you Catherine Swann?”
Catherine’s first impression of the professor was not bad. He looked at people with sincerity and wore simple clothes. He looked like someone who specialized in research.
Out of respect for the elder, Catherine took the initiative to stand up. “I’m Catherine!”
The old professor also had a good impression of Catherine and took the initiative to introduce himself to her.
“Nice to meet you, Catherine. I’m Marshall Hartley, a professor of electronic engineering at Styre University. Do you have the intention to apply for our Styre University?”
Hearing this, everyone present secretly gasped.
This professor was truly a pillar of the country.
His research results, not to mention in Eskana, were famous around the world. He was also known as the father of chips in Eskana.
The projects he had on his hand were all high-tech experiments that could change the fate of electronic equipment.
If one could join his team and become his student, they would truly enjoy a life of glory. Catherine took a closer look at Marshall. She knew this person. He did make certain gains in the field of chips.
If she remembered correctly, one of her disciples was a close friend of Marshall. Before Catherine could give her answer, the admissions officers at the University of Penny were anxious.
The director of the admissions office hurriedly stood up and came in front of Catherine.
“So, you are Catherine Swann. Nice to meet you!”
Catherine gave the other party a faint look, her expression cold.
In spite of this, the director of the admissions office of the University of Penny was still enthusiastic, and he almost wanted to pull Catherine.
“Catherine, are you interested in coming to the University of Penny’s finance department? Our finance department is one of the best in the country. If you are willing to come, I can let you join Professor Winston Warner’s team and let him be your mentor.”
Winston was also a very famous figure in the financial circle.
Liana’s target was Winston. She was originally worried that she would not be able to join Winston’s team.
However, they volunteered and even prayed for Catherine to join.
Liana trembled with anger when she saw this scene.
She couldn’t accuse Catherine in public. It would ruin her image. However, she was unconvinced. Why didn’t she get this special treatment as the top three with excellent results?
“You still don’t know, right? Catherine doesn’t have the qualifications to participate in the advance approval. With her grades, it shouldn’t be enough!” Liana said to those admissions officers.
Hearing Liana’s sarcastic words, Marshall turned back and looked straight at her.
“Well, there’s only one top scorer in your province who got full marks, right? If she doesn’t even qualify for the advance approval, then who would be qualified?”
Liana didn’t even think about it and then continued, “The top scorer is naturally qualified, but…”
She was about to say more when she suddenly remembered something and instantly paused.
“What did you say?” She stretched out her hand and pointed at Catherine with a face full of disbelief. “You said she was the top scorer?”
Marshall pointed at Catherine and asked, “Is her name Catherine Swann?” Then he said her name’s spelling letters.
Liana nodded her head.
“That’s right, then. This year’s top scorer in the province is Catherine in your school. Do you have two Catherine in your class?”
Liana didn’t know about the other places, but there was really only one Catherine in their school.
But how was this possible?
Liana immediately asked her doubts, ” Professor, this is simply impossible. Her right arm was injured on the day of the exam and she couldn’t move at all. I was in the same examination room as her, and she came out after half an hour of the exam. How could such a person be the top scorer with full marks?”
To prove her words, Liana even brought her classmates as witnesses.
Liana pointed at Catherine with a face full of righteous indignation and roared, “You must have cheated, right? What means did you use to get full marks?”
The teachers present were surprised. It was not that they did not believe Liana’s words. However, it was the first time that they encountered someone exposing a classmate’s cheating on the spot. More importantly, the one who was accused of cheating got full marks. It was really incredible.
Everyone’s eyes were focused on Catherine. The way they looked at her was different, and everyone’s thoughts varied.
Ronin was the only one who was bent on defending Catherine.
He glared at Liana angrily. “What the hell are you talking about? You can’t compare to Catherine, so you framed her!
“Do you think the national exam is child’s play? Do you know how strict that testing system is? How dare you talk nonsense here? Aren’t you afraid of going to jail?”
It was said that SAT was the first hurdle that determined one’s life. In Eskana, the way to change one’s fate was to get into a good university.
It didn’t take a genius to realize how hard it was to cheat in such an important exam.
Hearing Ronin’s retort, the teachers present also felt that it made sense.
Still, Liana was unwilling to believe it, and she held on to that point and did not let go.
“Who knows what methods were used? Then how do you explain that she can’t move her right hand and can still get full marks?”
Although cheating was extremely difficult, if Catherine really couldn’t even move her right hand, there was no way she could take the exam.
Everyone was talking noisily, but Catherine didn’t respond at all.
Ronin was anxious. “Catherine, just say something!”
Catherine was originally indifferent. If Ronin hadn’t been persuading her, she would have been too lazy to explain.
“What’s there to say? Can’t you use your left hand when your right hand is injured?”
The simple sentence shocked all the people around. Marshall looked at Catherine with joy on his face. “Your left hand is as flexible as your right one?”
The way he looked at Catherine was not with doubt but with an indescribable joy. He looked extremely excited.
Seeing Catherine nod, he immediately took out a pen and paper and handed them to Catherine. The best way to stop rumors was to produce evidence and expose everyone’s hypocrisy.
Catherine took the pen and casually wrote and drew on the paper.
No one knew what she wrote, but what was certain was that she did use her left hand very smoothly.
Catherine handed the finished paper to Marshall.
After Marshall took it, he took a look and instantly exclaimed.
“Oh my god, this… this is?”
Chapter 512 I Chose Styre University
The gazes of the people present were all focused on Marshall. No one knew what the reason was that this authoritative international professor was so amazed, After all, he was always composed.
Marshall repeatedly checked what Catherine had written and then looked up at Catherine with a face full of amazement.
“Catherine, do you know the programming of chips?”
Ronin snorted at the side. Catherine was more than knowing. She was considered the top in this industry.
If it weren’t for Catherine’s low profile, everyone present should have called her teacher respectfully.
Faced with Marshall’s inquiry, Catherine nodded casually. “I know a little.”
But how could Marshall believe that?
The students in his team who had been with him for several years might not have this understanding. Marshall felt more and more that he had come to the right place.
There were provincial top scorers every year, but there were not many with full marks.
He originally came with this thought, but he didn’t expect to meet such an excellent student.
Catherine was indeed a talent, and he had to convince her to choose Styre University.
“Catherine, if you are willing to come to Styre University, I promise to waive your tuition fees. At the same time, you can choose any mentor you want as long as you are willing to join us!”
Those words were like a slap in the face to the others.
Just now, Liana and the others were still questioning the authenticity of Catherine’s results. Now, Catherine not only proved the ability of her left hand but also the authenticity of her results.
Marshall was not an ordinary person. He wanted this student so much. How could there be any problem?
The director of the admissions office at the University of Penny saw Styre University show such sincerity. Although he didn’t know what Catherine was capable of, he was sure that Catherine was an excellent one.
Otherwise, it would be impossible for a top university like Styre University to offer such conditions. A talent like Catherine was naturally impossible for the University of Penny to miss.
The director of the admissions office at the University of Penny immediately offered new conditions to tempt Catherine. “Catherine, we can waive your tuition fees too if you choose the University of Penny. More than that, we can provide you with a full yearly scholarship under the same conditions. Our University of Penny’s scholarship is the most in the country, and we pay the most attention to the cultivation and education of talents!”
The University of Penny was not lying about this. After all, a university famous for its finance department naturally had extraordinary economic strength.
Styre University was known for its academics, and it was naturally not as rich as the University of Penny with deep pockets.
Faced with the conditions put forward by the University of Penny, Marshall was a little flustered. He was not afraid of anything in his life, not power, not evil.
His greatest fear was that good students would be taken away from him. After all, it was not easy to get a talent.
Styre University couldn’t afford the conditions offered by the University of Penny, but to win Catherine, it didn’t matter if he would rather subsidize it himself.
“Catherine, if you want a scholarship, I can apply for it. Chips are the soft underbelly of Eskana. If we want to be strong, we still need fresh strength like you. You are hope. You are the future!”
Both parties were top universities in Eskana, and the conditions of both sides were very superior. It was difficult for anyone to choose.
In an instant, everyone’s attention was on how Catherine should choose.
Since Catherine had chosen to take the exam, it meant she planned to further her education.
Besides, Audrey kept rambling on about how important a good school was.
If she knew that Catherine had given up the top university, she would talk about it for the rest of her life.
Catherine slowly lifted her eyes and looked firmly at Marshall.
“I choose Styre University!”
Hearing this, Marshall could not hide his excitement, and his eyes were full of surprise.
“Thank you, Catherine. Welcome to Styre University!”
Marshall felt that Catherine must be a very ambitious and idealistic person with great patriotism.
Under his persuasion, she gave up the high scholarship without hesitation and chose Styre University.
She really was a very honorable person.
In fact, Catherine’s reason for choosing Marshall was very simple. She was not short of money, and the scholarship meant nothing to her at all.
When everyone questioned her grades, Catherine couldn’t see even the slightest disdain in Marshall’s eyes. The old professor believed in her ability from beginning to end.
This was the ultimate reason why she chose Styre University.
She had to choose one that she liked, right?
After Catherine finished choosing the school, Ronin immediately approached forward. He originally disdained Styre University, but Catherine chose it, so he naturally wanted to follow her.
Ronin handed over his resume. ” Professor Hartley, my name is Ronin Oconnor. I want to go to Styre University!”
Hearing this name, the admissions office director of the University of Penny turned green. He was the second-best student in the province, with grades second only to Catherine.
If the two both went to Styre University, how should he explain to the school?
Marshall did not immediately respond to Ronin. They came to Loyalty Academy for only one purpose-to win Catherine, the top scorer.
There was no extra quota.
Ronin saw Marshall’s hesitation at a glance.
“Hmph, he actually dared to dislike me!
“he thought.
It seemed the other party wouldn’t know how capable he was if he did not show them something. Ronin learned Catherine’s way and wrote a program. Then he handed it to Marshall.
Marshall took a look. He did know this program, but he was not proficient in different types of work.
He handed the paper to the professor of information engineering, who came with him. The professor glanced at it, and his eyes instantly lit up.
His expression now was exactly the same as when Marshall saw the program written by Catherine before.
He excitedly pulled Marshall and said, ” Marshall, this student is a computer genius. We must take him. The quota is not in the way. He must stay!”
Rules could be broken for outstanding talents. It was not a big deal.
Since it could be proved that this student had this talent and the results of his cultural courses were also among the top, it was natural that they could not miss him.
“Very good. Congratulations to you, Ronin, and welcome to join Styre University!”
Ronin smiled happily. “Thank you, Professor Hartley!”
Then he raised his eyebrows at Catherine with a proud face. ”
Catherine, we can still be together in the future!”
The duo’s actions made the students around them envious. Styre University was such a good university, but they actually went to it so easily.
Especially Catherine! The professor from Styre University prayed for her to join them.
Bryan was also envious. Although his grades were also at the forefront, there should be no hope of attending Styre University.
Moreover, his original target wasn’t Styre University either.
He wanted to go to the finance department of the University of Penny. If he hadn’t insisted on staying home, his family would have sent him abroad to study.
Liana watched Catherine accept everyone’s envious gaze from the side, and jealousy reigned in her heart.
“Why did Catherine, the jinx, take all the benefits? What was so good about her? Even the professor from Styre University wanted her!” she cursed inwardly.
Chapter 513 Gorgeous Dancing Girl
After the end of the enrollment, Ronin insisted that they must have dinner together tonight, saying that it had been quite a while since Catherine had gathered with them.
Thinking that it had been almost a month since they last saw each other, Catherine agreed.
The group had just walked out of the classroom when they heard urgent footsteps coming from behind.
“Hey, you! Stop right there!”
The familiar voice made everyone furrow their brows. There was no need to guess who it was.
Ronin impatiently exclaimed, ”
Catherine, let’s go. No need to pay any attention to this crazy woman!”
It seemed like Liana saw through Ronin’s thoughts. She hastened her steps and arrived in front of the group, directly blocking Catherine.
Catherine stopped in her tracks and gave Liana a cold stare.
Seeing Catherine’s face, Liana was pissed off.
In her eyes, she felt Catherine was looking down on her with a condescending attitude.
Liana gritted her teeth, glaring at Catherine with eyes full of hatred. “Are you feeling proud of yourself now, Catherine?
“Why are you deliberately hiding your grades to embarrass and humiliate me in front of the admission officer? Why are you targeting me like this?”
Liana continued to fervently accuse, believing that Catherine intended to humiliate her.
“Are you done talking?” Catherine casually replied.
Liana was a bit stunned by the unconventional response of Catherine.
She paused, but Catherine didn’t.
Before Liana could even react, Catherine kept talking.
“Target you? Huh!”
Catherine sneered sarcastically, her once calm eyes suddenly turning icy cold. “Who do you think you are?”
Her badass questioning made everyone standing behind Ronin unable to resist applauding her.
Catherine had no interest in getting involved with Liana as Liana wasn’t even worth it.
After she finished mocking Liana, Catherine continued to walk forward. Ronin and his group quickly caught up and did not hesitate to take a jab at Liana as they passed her by.
“Hmph, who do you think you are?”
Each person said a sentence, causing Liana’s face to turn red awkwardly. She was so angry that she wanted to rush up and fight with Catherine.
She didn’t expect Catherine to be such a jerk. “Not only did she mock me, but she got so many others to join in on trashing me.
“I swear I’ll definitely get revenge for this!” said she inwardly.
After the big exam was over, Catherine and Ronin finally had a good time to relax. Finishing having a barbecue, Bryan arranged for everyone to continue the fun at a newly opened club in Casier.
This newly opened entertainment club was said to be a haven for young people. Whether it was the stage, the lighting, or the sound effects, they were all top- notch equipment.
As soon as they entered the club, David and the others started screaming uncontrollably.
The club was absolutely amazing, causing every pore on one’s body to scream with excitement.
Bryan reserved a spot in the inner ring and invited Catherine right away.
“Catherine, please take a seat!”
Unlike the excitement of others, Catherine remained calm and laid back, sitting lazily on the booth’s sofa.
The big exam was finally over, and everyone was feeling relieved. Bryan had brought plenty of alcohol to celebrate.
He deliberately poured a glass for Catherine. Seeing that Ronin did not stop him, he knew that Catherine could drink it, so he dared to hand it over.
“Catherine, wanna grab a drink?”
Catherine was open to anything. Ever since she moved into the apartment across from Branden, Branden had been extremely strict about her diet.
He didn’t explicitly say Catherine couldn’t eat this or drink that, but somehow, he had a way of making sure she didn’t get to see those things.
Catherine wasn’t really a greedy person, so it didn’t matter if she couldn’t have it.
She hadn’t even touched a drop of alcohol in a long time.
Bryan handed her the glass, and she took it without hesitation.
Once Catherine expressed her willingness to have a drink, the rest also loosened up and poured themselves some booze.
After all, wouldn’t it be a waste to come to a place like this for fun and not have a drink?
Everyone was drinking. One after another, they finished quite a few glasses.
Bryan arranged a high-quality whisky with a high alcohol content.
Although Catherine could hold her liquor pretty well, she hadn’t had a drink in a long time, and on top of that, she was in a good mood today.
After a few drinks, her beautiful big eyes began to squint slightly.
She was initially cold and serious, exuding an aura of dominance, but after having a few drinks, she became infused with a touch of charming allure. Like a sexy goddess descending from the heavens, her beauty was so mesmerizing that it was hard to look away.
On the 360-degree full-screen stage, there were seductive figures everywhere.
In this situation and scenery, people would temporarily lose themselves, forget their own consciousness, and crazily move their bodies with the music.
Bryan was having a blast, and his courage had grown. He took the initiative to invite Catherine.
“Catherine, wanna come up and dance with us? No worries if you can’t dance. Just move your body a little!”
In the eyes of Bryan, big shots like Catherine wouldn’t stoop to this kind of thing.
Catherine’s sparkling eyes glinted with a mischievous grin on her slightly upturned lips.
She was interested but didn’t want to get on stage like that.
She reached out and hooked two beer cans, then opened them and hooked the pull rings on her index finger.
The sharp pull rings turned into a handy little pair of scissors in Catherine’s hands.
Using this tiny pair of scissors, Catherine repeatedly pulled and stretched on her loose T-shirt.
By cutting a number of holes in her boyfriend-style T-shirt, Catherine instantly transformed the shirt into a uniquely styled T-dress.
Catherine used the two pieces of fabric she cut to tie a bow on her back, instantly transforming the loose style into a fitted and stylish one that perfectly showcased her slender waist and flawless figure.
They had no idea what Catherine was up to, but Catherine never needed a reason for doing things.
After finishing the modifications on her clothes, Catherine lowered her cap and stepped onto the stage with a nimble flip.
As the music ebbed and flowed, Catherine swiftly danced.
Every time she spun, those strips of cloth she pulled out with homemade scissors danced along, revealing her beautiful curves.
It was not particularly obvious, but there was a subtle sense of ambiguity, which strangely made it even more captivating and hard to look away from.
All eyes were on the mysterious girl with a hat covering her face completely. Her figure and dance moves were enough to drive every man in the room crazy.
The inner circle booths were like the VIP section of the club, and the private box on the second floor was the pinnacle of luxury.
Triston and some of his friends were chilling in this private room today. This club belonged to one of his childhood buddies.
To support his buddy, Triston not only set up a gathering but also brought along many good friends.
It was unknown who called out, but someone shouted that an incredibly attractive girl was on the stage below, catching everyone’s attention.
Triston was originally drinking with a big shot while his friends next to him kept calling him.
“Mr. Lambert, she’s really something else, a rare gem in the world. You should take a look!”
Triston felt tantalized when talking to Branden, the big shot beside him. He joked, “Mr. Duncan, you’re different now. You are now keeping away from girls for Cassie, but I’m still free. I’ll take a look, and if she’s really exceptional, I’ll call out to you!”
Watching Triston rush out in a panic, Branden remained calm and cold, with a strong aura as he sat still without any change in expression.
The private room had floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, so he didn’t have to cram in for a good view-just a casual glance, and he could catch a glimpse of the scene below.
Branden was holding his glass, deep in thought about whether or not to leave. When he unintentionally caught a glimpse of the enchanting figure on the dance floor, he instantly stood up.
This move scared the people present.
No one knew what happened to this top -notch big shot.
Chapter 514 A Good Spanking
Someone reported Branden’s situation to Triston.
Triston turned around and saw Branden walking toward him.
When the big shot appeared, people on both sides quickly moved aside to make way.
Branden stood in front of the huge floor -to-ceiling window, his gaze firmly fixed on the stage below.
Without even looking at the face, he knew that it was his woman.
Plus, he even saw that his silly nephew occupied the neighboring booth.
As the woman made a wild leap, her clothes flew up, exposing her slender and pristine waist and prompting screams from the audience under the lights.
Branden’s face instantly darkened with eyes as cold as an icy pond.
Everyone around him felt the atmosphere in the private room suddenly turn icy, and nobody knew what happened.
They were too scared to speak and even dared not look at the big shot, only able to turn toward Triston on the side, asking about the situation.
Triston was also pretty confused at first but eventually figured it out.
“Over the years, there was only one person who could elicit such emotional changes in Mr. Duncan!” he thought.
He didn’t recognize it just now because he didn’t make the connection.
Branden’s reaction now hit him instantly.
“So that was what it was all about!”
said Triston inwardly.
Those gazes toward Catherine made Branden want to dig out the eyes of everyone present.
Before his temper erupted, Branden quickly turned and walked downstairs.
Triston quickly called his friends and brought two teams of bodyguards to clear the way for Branden.
Apart from Triston, nobody knew what the big boss wanted to do.
As Catherine was dancing in high spirits, she suddenly felt a breath approaching from behind.
She instinctively lifted her elbow and swung it backward.
To her surprise, her elbow actually got caught.
She suddenly turned her head, but someone forcefully pulled her in the arms before she could see who it was.
A familiar scent flowed through her body into every corner of her being. Catherine’s body instantly softened. She lazily leaned against the man’s embrace.
“Why are you here?”
Thinking about those eyes lusting after her, Branden just wanted to kill everyone in the room.
He said through gritted teeth in a cold tone, “If I don’t come now, do you plan on going to heaven?”
A strong sense of jealousy swept over her. Catherine found it amusing and couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Haha. It’s fun!”
“Is it fun?” said Branden inwardly. He really wanted to give this girl a good spanking so that she wouldn’t dare to be so reckless next time.
Some people were eyeing Catherine, but they didn’t dare approach her because of her strong presence.
When they saw Catherine being pulled into the arms of a mysterious man, they couldn’t help but feel an intense regret for not being bold enough and missing such a wonderful opportunity.
As David saw Catherine hugging a man, he was about to approach them but was intercepted by Bryan.
“That’s my uncle. Isn’t David asking for trouble by going up there?
“Plus, it was obvious at first glance that Catherine willingly went along with it,” said Bryan inwardly.
Of course, Ronin also knew it and sat angrily in the booth, eating watermelon. The bright red watermelon was used as an outlet for Ronin’s frustration as he took bite after bite, imagining it was Branden’s head.
“Damn, dude! He actually had his arms around Catherine.
“Ugh, how annoying!
“But I can’t beat them, and most importantly, Catherine doesn’t object to it at all. What can I do?” said Ronin inwardly.
On the dance floor, Catherine was totally killing it.
With both hands wrapped around the man’s neck, she hugged him tightly and swayed back and forth.
The dazzling lights shone on Catherine, making her look like a dream. Her ambiguous gaze, paired with that stunning face, was so beautiful it took Branden’s breath away.
He only felt like a thousand poisonous insects were biting all over his body. Feeling unbearable, he grabbed Catherine horizontally and walked straight off the dance floor.
Someone refused to accept it. “How can just one person own such a beautiful masterpiece?” he thought.
Before the man could even approach, one look from the surrounding bodyguards pushed him back down.
The big shot displayed a domineering posture. Who would dare to cause trouble?
With Catherine in his arms, Branden hopped into the car straight away. Paxton was personally driving the car. The moment they got in, Branden manually put down the partition.
Not even a single second was spared for others to sneak a glance, which frightened Paxton into trembling.
Catherine’s hand was on Branden’s neck. She didn’t sit alone on the side as usual.
Catching a strong smell of alcohol on Catherine, Branden furrowed his brows and softened his tone. “Why were you drinking?”
Catherine raised her gaze. Her eyes shone like stars, resembling two captivating magnets that firmly caught hold of Branden’s heart.
“What? You got a problem with it?”
Seeing her pair of eyes, how could any man still find fault with her? It was even hard to resist feeling heartbroken for her.
“I don’t want you to get a headache tomorrow! Just drink some hot water first. It’ll make you feel a bit better.”
Catherine nodded slightly, still holding onto Branden’s hand. After she took a few sips, she refused to drink anymore.
Branden was both helpless and gratified when he first saw Catherine so enthusiastic.
He tightened the hand around Catherine’s waist, almost gritting his teeth as he uttered his words.
“If you keep making trouble, I’ll give you a good spanking when we get back!
11
Catherine heard it, and she heard it clearly. She raised her head, gazing at Branden with a bewildered expression.
“Whoever gets spanked is not necessarily determined!”
Branden was rendered speechless by her words. Catherine was his beloved little treasure, and he couldn’t bear to say any harsh words toward her.
Feeling all fired up but having nowhere to vent, Branden could only coldly admonish Paxton in front, “Hurry up!”
Scared out of his wits, Paxton, who had never been urged on before, slammed his foot on the gas pedal and drove the car wildly out.
The usual half-hour drive was cut short by about ten minutes.
After getting out of the car, Branden didn’t let Catherine’s feet touch the ground. He directly carried her to the apartment.
At the moment of entering, Branden was about to turn on the lights. Catherine moved faster. With a quick turn of her hand, she forcefully pinned Branden against the door.
Her beautiful eyes stared deeply into Branden’s, looking domineering and charming.
“Are you trying to spank me or what?”
Branden shuddered all over. Millions of his pores were screaming crazily.
If it weren’t for his strong restraint, he would have really been afraid of hurting Catherine.
He was holding back his power, gritting his teeth, and speaking in a low and restrained voice. One didn’t even have to listen carefully to hear the suppressed pain and difficulty.
“Baby, you’re playing with fire!”
Catherine knew what she was doing. She raised her eyebrows at Branden.
“What? Can’t handle it?”
This was the first time in Branden’s life that he got questioned.
If he couldn’t handle it, who could?
The urge inside him felt like it was boiling, almost breaking through his limits like a few atomic bombs were waiting to explode in his chest.
He endured with great difficulty. He would have let go long ago if it weren’t for his strong self-control.
He was gritting his teeth. His voice sounded like a beast roaring, full of ferocity and menace.
“Behave, don’t mess around, or you’ll get hurt!”
“Get hurt? The person who can hurt me probably hasn’t been born yet!”
Catherine smirked as she thought.
She gave a strong push and took a step forward.
Her hot pink lips pressed down on the cold lips of Branden.
Branden felt that if he kept holding back his urge, he wouldn’t even be a man anymore, let alone a human.
He couldn’t even bear to separate their lips. He held Catherine tightly in his arms and hurriedly carried her toward the master bedroom.
“Some mischievous woman needs a good spanking!” thought he.
In the darkness, no one noticed the smile at the corner of Catherine’s eyes.
Chapter 515 A Hot Body
Early in the morning, Catherine reluctantly woke up in a haze of smoke, feeling groggy and tired.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the man beside her, shirtless and looking like a noble deity from mythology.
On the handsome and delicate face of the man, there lay a cigarette between his thin lips. His slightly raised brow showed a hint of sadness.
This was the first time Catherine had seen Branden smoke in front of her.
She knew Branden smoked, but in her memory, he had never smoked in front of her, not even letting her catch a whiff of the smell.
Last night, Branden persistently lingered with her in s*x and finally released her with reluctance until dawn. She was too tired to say anything, so she just closed her eyes and turned around to fall into a deep sleep.
When he noticed the movement beside him, Branden’s eyes flashed with a panic. His first response was to put out the cigarette in his hand.
Having no time to find an ashtray, he snuffed out the cigarette butt with his fingers.
“Did I wake you up?”
His deep voice carried a hoarseness, and it was mesmerizing.
“No!” Catherine groaned, raising her arms high in the air and stretching lazily.
She had amazingly fair skin, and she practically glowed when the sunlight shone on her.
The purplish-red marks, set against her immaculate skin, shone even brighter like dazzling roses in full bloom.
After he took a glance, Branden’s eyes were filled with heat.
He was worried that if things continued like this, he wouldn’t be able to hold it anymore.
As Catherine experienced sex for the first time, even with an excellent physical condition, she couldn’t withstand such long sex.
Branden tilted his head and looked away, then turned around and said to Catherine, “I’m gonna get you some food!”
The grey silk quilt slipped off his body as he moved, revealing his strong and robust physique.
He appeared slim with his clothes on, but when he took off his clothes, one might see some sexy muscles.
“The bare upper body, the tanned skin, not a single trace of excess fat on the whole body, a perfect inverted triangle shape, truly captivating entity. I am not at a loss in sleeping with him.” thought Catherine.
She propped her elbow on the pillow, half-closed her eyes, and admired Branden’s exquisite figure.
Half an hour later, Branden walked into the bedroom carrying the cooked meal.
When Catherine was lazy and not getting out of bed before, Branden would also bring food into the bedroom like this.
However, Catherine wasn’t going to have her meal in the bedroom today. The whole place was filled with this weird smell that was totally killing her appetite.
Focus was crucial when having delicious food.
Branden would always grant whatever was requested by Catherine.
The food that had been brought over was put back on the table. Catherine sat at the dining table. Considering that she had just woken up, Branden cooked a relatively bland meal.
He also prepared a glass of rose liqueur for her. Catherine drank quite a bit of alcohol last night, and her voice was hoarse.
This rose liqueur was just perfect. It immediately awakened her soul.
After finishing cooking the oatmeal, Branden placed it at Catherine’s side.
“I heard you agreed to go to Styre University?”
It didn’t surprise Catherine that Branden was aware of her choice.
This was not a secret. She presumed it must have already been spread within the school yesterday.
Branden had always cared about her every move, and it was inevitable that he would know it.
Catherine gave a half-hearted response. “There’s only Styre University to choose from domestically, and that old man Marshall Hartley doesn’t seem to have a bad temper!”
The nationally renowned expert was notorious for being difficult to deal with. Even some leaders had to be respectful to him. However, he was a good-natured old man in Catherine’s eyes.
She was probably the only one who dared to say that. Styre University was definitely good domestically, but it was like its name, mysterious and serious.
Catherine was a carefree and unconstrained person. With so many rules and regulations in this university, Branden worried she wouldn’t adapt well.
“Hey, how about I help you switch to a different college?” he asked.
“It’s just a small matter of going to college, causing so much trouble and inconvenience. What a hassle!” thought Catherine.
She didn’t even think twice before rejecting Branden’s offer. “No thanks. I’m going to Styre University!”
Branden looked at her with affectionate eyes and a doting expression. “Alright then. We’ll go to Styre University!”
Located in Loxton, Styre University was several hundred miles away from Casier.
Catherine put down her bowl and gave Branden a cold stare.
“Do you want me to stay in Casier?” she asked.
Branden immediately understood what Catherine meant, and of course, he wouldn’t separate from Catherine.
It might be a bit troublesome if Catherine applied to study abroad now.
But if she were to stay in the country, Branden could visit Loxton, where the former residence of the Duncans was located, without any geographical restrictions.
“If you go to Styre University, then I’ll go to Loxton. If you stay in Casier, then I’ll also be in Casier!”
Catherine could tell that Branden was trying to move his business to Loxton.
She raised an eyebrow, her beautiful eyes slowly turning, giving off a hint of flirtatious glances toward Branden.
“You said that the Duncan Corporation’s future development was in Oceanvile, but now it has changed to Loxton?”
In the face of Catherine’s temptation, Branden showed no fear and leaned toward her, saying, “The future of the Duncan Corporation is wherever you are!”
Initially, he planned to go to Oceanville, but Catherine would be in Loxton for the next few years.
Therefore, the Duncan Corporation would make Loxton its main direction. Moreover, there was that bastard Erick in Oceanvile. He didn’t want to have someone’s eyes glued to his woman all the time.
After returning to her small apartment, Liana was about to lose it when she saw the cramped space and the pile of takeout boxes on the table.
She angrily threw her handbag, unable to contain her temper any longer.
“Have you had enough? What’s the difference between you guys and the stinky bugs living in a garbage pile?”
Korbin turned his head and stared at Liana with a stern look. He couldn’t believe that his little daughter would talk to him with such an attitude one day.
“Are you trying to defy me now, Liana?”
“Back in the day, my dad used to be all high and mighty, but now not only can’t he lift his head because of Catherine’s oppression, but he’s also left with nothing thanks to Catherine.
“My mom stays at my grandparents’ house all day and doesn’t want to come back,” said Liana inwardly.
With the humiliation she received, Liana couldn’t control her temper anymore.
She shouted angrily at Korbin, “Why don’t you shout at Catherine, huh? If you’re so capable, why did you let all of Grandpa’s assets end up in the hands of that jinx?”
Korbin had become a complete mess during the past few days. Branden had cut off all his resources.
None of his old friends were willing to help him.
He could only be a bum at home, being a useless loser.
Unexpectedly, he was scolded by his own young daughter. Korbin could no longer control his temper and stood up in anger, eyes blazing with fury as he looked at Liana.
“You damn girl, you…”
When faced with a home like this, Liana really had no mood at all.
She was not afraid of Korbin at all now. She picked up her bag and turned around to leave.
When she turned around, she didn’t notice Korbin’s difference behind her.
Korbin’s face turned red like a tomato, and he looked super painful. At the very moment when Liana closed the door, Korbin couldn’t hold on any longer and collapsed.
Chapter 516 Put the Blame on Catherine
Catherine was still playing a game online with Ronin and a few others when she got the news.
She threw down the gamepad and rushed to the hospital as soon as possible.
Outside the operating room, Audrey, Liana, and Rachael had already arrived. They all stood at the door of the operating room with a solemn expression.
Catherine walked from the intersection toward the depths of the corridor. Her pace was slow. She looked so calm that one could not tell what mood she was in.
Her footsteps echoed, and everyone turned around.
Seeing Catherine appear, Rachael’s eyes were immediately filled with anger.
She sprinted forward and rushed toward Catherine.
Audrey’s movements were faster. She stepped in front of Catherine quickly, separating Catherine and Rachael.
Seeing Audrey in front of Catherine, Rachael stopped in her tracks.
She looked at Audrey with a fierce look in her eyes and snarled, “You’re still defending Catherine. If it weren’t for her, how could your Dad be lying inside the operating room now? He’s almost dead.”
After yelling at Audrey, Rachael snapped her head back up to glare at Catherine.
“You jinx, you are really a jinx and a disaster to us. We haven’t had a good time since the moment you came back. Your Dad is almost killed by you now!”
These words were even more vicious than curses, and even Audrey could not bear to listen to them.
This was not something a mother should say at all.
When Audrey was about to stop Rachael, she heard Catherine, who was behind her, snort coldly and say mockingly, “Didn’t you break off all relations with me since I was a kid?
“What? It’s on me now?”
Catherine’s sarcasm infuriated Rachael so much that she gasped for breath. Rachael’s face flushed, and she could barely speak.
Liana was on the side, rushing up to appease Rachael.
“Mom, don’t be angry. It’s not worth getting angry for such people!”
After saying that, Liana turned her gaze at Catherine angrily.
“How cold-blooded are you? The one lying inside the operating room in resuscitation is our father, and you have the mood to argue with our mother here now. Do you still have some conscience?”
Audrey felt that her mother, Rachael, should not talk like that. However, considering that Rachael was worried about their father, Audrey did not want Catherine to start a conflict with their mother at this time.
“Kathy, why don’t we just forget about it? Let’s go out and rest for a while!”
Catherine ignored Audrey’s persuasion as her gaze fell faintly on Liana.
When Catherine and Liana’s eyes met, Liana averted her eyes subconsciously.
She did not dare to look into Catherine’s eyes.
“Cold-blooded? Haha, it’s so funny. What qualifications do you have to say the word ‘cold-blooded’ to me?”
She thought in her heart, “If Liana were me back then, would she still be as calm as she is now?
“Never advise others to be kind if one has not experienced the pain of others!”
Her mockery made Liana unable to answer.
The atmosphere was at once in an awkward state. It was as if everything was on the verge of exploding.
The opening of the operating room door broke the awkward scene at hand.
The crowd rushed over to the operating room. The attending doctor had just finished his surgery and did not even have time to take off his gloves before they surrounded him.
“Doctor, how is my husband’s condition?”
The doctor had served the Swanns for many years and was Vicente’s exclusive doctor. So, he naturally knew Rachael.
“Mrs. Swann, Mr. Swann’s condition is not optimistic. Although the congestion in his brain has been cleared, his brain has been deprived of oxygen for too long. Even if he wakes up, it may cause great after-effects. You have to be psychologically prepared!”
Upon hearing the doctor’s words, Rachael fell to the ground instantly, with no light in her eyes.
She relied on the Swanns and her husband for her entire life.
Now, the assets of the Swanns were in Catherine’s hands, and her husband was seriously ill. What hope did she have?
Liana froze when she heard the news.
But her freeze was different from Rachael’s, which Catherine noticed.
It was a while before they finally reacted to the news.
Rachael and Liana once again pointed the finger at Catherine. Ignoring her image of being a noble and gentle lady, Rachael cried and cursed on the side.
Liana, on the other side, stood up and accused Catherine directly.
“You are the main culprit who causes Dad in trouble. If you hadn’t taken the Swann Corporation, how could Dad have fainted?”
After Rachael and Korbin were kicked out of the Swanns’, Catherine had been secretly observing their movements.
Catherine knew they were not homeless but moved to a property in Liana’s name.
That house was not big, but it was more than 1,000 square feet, which was completely more than enough for a family of three.
In Casier, where every inch of land was expensive, many people had not had the chance to live in such a house yet!
After leaving the Swanns’, Korbin had been actively contacting his old friends to find ways to make a comeback.
He seemed even more motivated than he was working at the Swann Corporation. Would someone like that experience a cerebral hemorrhage because of anger?
Catherine thought she really needed to think about the story behind the scenes!
Catherine looked at Liana calmly, with an imperceptible coldness in her eyes.
“Liana, are you sure I pissed him off?”
A flash of panic flashed in Liana’s eyes, but it quickly disappeared. It was a panic that was very hard to detect.
Liana regained her composure at once and looked at Catherine with her neck craned. Her attitude was more dominant than just now.
“Of course, he was pissed off by you. Is there anyone else in the world who drives her parents out of their house and even seizes her parents’ company? Dad is sick because of this. What other excuses do you have?”
Catherine shrugged her shoulders in an indifferent manner. “Anything you say!
She mentally muttered. “You all know what the truth is.”
Liana was secretly relieved to see that Catherine did not dwell on the topic.
Because of Korbin’s condition, Rachael was particularly unhappy with Catherine.
Considering Catherine’s emotions, Audrey decided to take her away first.
After leaving the door, Audrey tried to put in good words for Rachael and Liana.
“Kathy, don’t take Mom’s words to heart. Now that Dad is sick, it’s normal for her to feel bad and say harsh words to you!”
Catherine naturally would not take those to heart. After all, they were not even strangers to her. How could they hurt her with their words?
She glanced at Audrey coldly and said faintly, “You really haven’t learned your lesson at all!”
Hearing this, Audrey instantly froze in place.
Catherine lifted her foot to leave. If Audrey had not called, she would not have come to the hospital at all.
Audrey came back to her senses long after Catherine left.
She understood the meaning of Catherine’s words. She knew that since their father kidnapped her for profit to threaten Catherine, she should have given up on them.
But she and Catherine were different, after all.
Even though their parents had not favored her since she was a child, she was still a child who had grown up beside their parents. How could it be so easy to forget their decades of feelings?
Thinking of their parents’ current situation, Audrey went to settle the medical bill.
Only then did she leave following the direction Catherine had gone.
This was probably all she could do for their parents.
Chapter 517 Branden’s Private Property
Catherine contacted Ronin after she left the hospital. They got together again for dinner.
However, this time, Catherine did not choose to have a barbecue.
Influenced by Branden, she had been enjoying some lighter-flavored dishes lately. They chose light dishes today.
Ronin shaved the bones of the chicken legs and placed them on Catherine’s plate. Bryan, who was sitting next to him, did not want to be outdone. He poured a cup of iced cola and handed it to Catherine.
But they all tacitly agreed not to mention the matter of the Swanns the whole time. They all knew that Catherine did not like to hear about these things, so no one dared to mention it.
Seeing that Catherine had a good appetite today, Ronin served her some soup. He took the opportunity to ask, ” Catherine, if we go to Loxton to study, won’t you and Mr. Duncan be separated?”
Catherine picked up the soup and took a sip. After that, she put the soup down slowly before responding to Ronin lazily.
“That’s not true. The Duncan Corporation is going to develop in Loxton next, so Branden will be spending a lot of time in Loxton!”
Bryan exclaimed just as Catherine finished speaking.
“No wonder my Dad and the others have been busy working overtime every day lately. It turns out it’s because they’re shifting their work focus to Loxton!”
At these words, the expressions on the faces of everyone present changed a little.
Although Catherine’s face remained the same, the slightly upturned corners of her eyes revealed her mood at the moment.
Ronin also looked pleasant. Branden was willing to do something for Catherine, which was worthy of Ronin’s affirmation. Ronin’s impression of Branden had improved a bit.
Speaking of Loxton, Ronin remembered something.
He turned his head to Bryan and asked, “Bastard, didn’t your family develop well in Loxton back then? Why did you guys move to Casier and forcibly take the leading position here?”
If the Duncans had not moved to Casier, the leading position in Casier now would be another family.
The Duncans had been moving to Casier for a long time. Before Bryan was even born, the Duncans had already made it big and strong in Casier, so he did not know much about it.
“I did hear my Dad talk a little about it. Loxton is the center of power. There are not many people in our Duncans who work in civil service, so it’s better to go elsewhere instead of staying there and fighting with those people!”
Among the Duncans, there was only one branch that worked in civil service, and this branch also had the power entirely in its hands.
If one had money and power, one would naturally be liable to be attacked.
It was the right choice for the Duncans to withdraw from the center of power to focus on business development in Casier, leaving only one branch in Loxton.
Seeing that Ronin looked like he had no end to continue asking, Bryan shouted with some impatience, “What? Even the food in your mouth can’t stop you from talking?”
While they were eating, the cell phone Catherine placed aside rang.
The moment she picked up the phone, Branden heard Bryan and Ronin’s voice from the phone.
“You’re having a meal with your classmates?”
“Uh-huh!” Catherine responded casually.
Then she hung up the phone and continued eating.
Seeing her hang up, Bryan dared to speak.
“Catherine, is Uncle Branden coming over?”
“He’ll come later. He should be here when I’m done eating!”
Branden had just said he was coming to pick her up, but he did not say he was coming over to eat with them.
After hearing Catherine’s response, Bryan lowered his head and ate silently.
As much as he wanted to spit about Branden, he did not have the guts.
After all, Branden was the person he feared the most since he was a child and the man in charge of the Duncans, who even his father feared.
Half an hour later, Catherine received a message from Branden.
Branden was already downstairs in the restaurant.
Just as Catherine finished eating, she packed her things and stood up.
“Goodbye!”
Catherine casually waved her hand and then walked out of the private room gracefully.
For Ronin, this was already quite common.
For Catherine to say goodbye to them before leaving could already be considered a good thing for them.
What more could they ask for?
Catherine went to the front desk and told the waiter the name of the private room. She was ready to pay the bill.
The waiter looked at her politely and said, “Miss, hi, Your bill has been paid.
It was ordered by our manager personally. He said you don’t need to pay the bill!”
Catherine frowned. Just as she was about to ask the reason, the manager came rushing in with a very respectful attitude.
“Miss Swann, hello. I am the manager of the restaurant!”
Catherine raised her eyebrows and glanced at him.
The manager immediately understood the meaning in Catherine’s gaze.
“Miss Swann, your bill is directly credited to the account. This restaurant is Mr. Duncan’s private property!”
Catherine understood instantly. Who else but Branden could be called “Mr. Duncan” in Casier?
It seemed Branden had a lot of private property. She needed to find time to thoroughly investigate his assets. After all, all of these could very well become her property in the future.
Since it was Branden’s money, she did not refuse. Catherine waved her hand toward the manager. Under the awed gaze of the manager, she left the restaurant.
Branden’s car was parked at the entrance.
It seemed there was a telepathic connection between Branden and Catherine. Branden noticed immediately the moment Catherine appeared.
Then he stopped his movements and pushed open the car door to get out.
Paxton was used to it by now. As long as there was Catherine around, he was not qualified to even open the car door.
After Catherine bent down to sit in the car, Branden sat in after her. After smelling the faint coffee scent on her, Branden sniffed lightly. He asked in a low voice, “Didn’t you have a barbecue?”
Catherine responded with a casual attitude. “I’m already tired of barbecue!
Branden smiled lightly. It was as if he was laughing at Catherine’s words that she was tired of barbecue.
Catherine, who had just finished eating, was too lazy to move even one finger. She leaned against the window with a lazy look on her face.
Branden took her hand and put it in his hand to play.
Her skin was smooth and tender, especially her palm. It was softer and more tender than a baby.
Seeing that she was in a good mood, Branden opened his mouth slowly and asked, “I heard that something happened to Korbin.”
“Uh-huh!” Catherine responded weakly. She did not sound like she was resisting or evading to talk about this topic.
The man then asked, “Do you need help?”
“No!”
Catherine responded exceptionally quickly. Her attitude showed that she did not care about the Swann family.
Branden understood and did not say anything more.
“Okay, you’re the boss!”
He would let her do whatever she wanted.
As for the opinions of the bystanders, what did it have to do with them?
Liana came out from inside the hospital room. The annoying atmosphere inside the hospital room built up so much pressure that she could hardly breathe.
The ticking sounds were like the calling of death, making it impossible for her to stay in the hospital room for a moment.
Rachael asked Liana to stay there to look after Korbin before going back to the Langs.
Liana could not stand it and took out her phone to call her mother.
“Mom, I’m still in a hurry to get back to choose a school. You need to come here quickly!”
Rachael was also quite a bit annoyed when she answered the phone.
She did not really want to go to the hospital and was on the verge of suffocating right now. She could not think of a solution.
If she went to the hospital to face her unconscious husband on the hospital bed, she would be even more anxious.
“Liana, hold on a little longer. Your grandpa is feeling a bit unwell. I’ll go to the hospital after taking care of your grandpa!”
After saying that, Rachael hung up the phone.
Hearing the beep sound of the phone being hung up, Liana was so angry that she smashed the phone.
She knew better than anyone what her mother meant.
She thought to herself, “You clearly didn’t want to come. You’re leaving all the troubles to me and using my grandpa feeling unwell as an excuse.
“If grandpa is feeling unwell, he has grandma, uncle, and the others to take care of him. How can it be your turn to take care of him?”
Liana stood outside the hospital room. She looked through the glass window at her father lying on the hospital bed.
A touch of ruthlessness flashed in her eyes. She only hoped that her father would always sleep like this and never wake up again.
Chapter 518 One Million Dollars
Rachael was furious the moment the demand note of her husband’s medical bill was thrown in her face.
She did not expect that there would be a day in her lifetime when she was called for debt.
Originally, she had planned to hire two full-time caregivers to watch over her husband 24 hours a day. This way, both she and her daughter could rest without being bothered.
However, she never expected to receive a demand note from the nurse after she arrived at the hospital.
Staring at the amount owed, Rachael’s brow furrowed.
“Are you guys mistaken? How could we possibly be in arrears?”
The nurse was with a cold face and a somewhat aloof attitude.
She said to Rachael, “The demand note is clearly stated. Your pre-paid fees were used up yesterday. Please pay the fees as soon as possible so as not to delay the treatment!”
After saying that, the nurse left the ward without looking back.
Rachael rubbed the demand note in her hand into a ball angrily and cursed in a low voice, “Damn it. Don’t these bastards know who we are? I’m calling the director and telling him to fire this stupid nurse!”
Liana sat by the side, frowning. She looked gloomy.
“Mommy, don’t waste your energy. It’s useless!”
Rachael froze at once. She looked at her daughter with a puzzled expression. ”
What do you mean by that? What do you mean it’s useless?”
Helpless, Liana could only tell the truth.
“If calling the director was useful, I would have done it long ago. The hospital informed us that from now on, all the bills we spend here will not go through the Swann Corporation’s fund.
From the moment Korbin was kicked out of the Swanns’ board of directors, they no longer enjoyed all the privileges of the Swanns.
Liana’s eyes were filled with hatred. ” Mommy, this is all because of that disaster Catherine. She wants to drive us to a dead end!”
Rachael finally realized. It turned out that Catherine was behind all of this.
“No, I have to come to her!”
Liana was a bit impatient with the fact that her mother had not yet realized the current situation. If it were helpful to come to Catherine, they would not have fallen to the point where they were at the moment.
“Mommy, what’s the point of coming to Catherine? If you come to Catherine, you might as well come to Audrey. The previous medical bills were all pre-paid by Audrey. If we don’t pay the medical bills, Dad might be kicked out of the hospital!”
Upon hearing her daughter’s suggestion, Rachael’s face was very gloomy.
She did not expect that she would fall into such a situation one day.
No matter what, she could not let her husband lose his treatment.
She was still waiting for her husband to wake up and make a comeback!
On the set, Audrey just got out of the car and noticed that the phone on the side was ringing.
Kim moved faster than she did. He picked up the phone and threw it into the drawer, then immediately closed the drawer.
This made Audrey look confused!
There should not be many people who know Audrey’s private phone number. So, this could not be some harassing call from an obsessive fan.
“Kim, what’s going on with you? Who’s calling? You’re so excited.”
Audrey pulled open the drawer, ready to take her cell phone. Kim had a peculiar expression on his face. His facial expressions were distorted.
He said sarcastically, “Who else could it be? It’s that high and mighty Mrs. Swann!
“This is already the third time she’s called!”
Kim was very happy to know that Catherine had taken over the power of the Swanns.
He had met a lot of famous noble ladies, but he had not seen many noble ladies as rude as Rachael.
He guaranteed that if this call were not answered, Rachael would definitely call a fourth, fifth, or even more times until Audrey got through.
Hearing Kim’s mockery, Audrey looked a little sad. After taking a deep breath, she said something that seemed to be saying to Kim and more like to comfort herself.
“My Dad is sick right now. Maybe there’s something wrong going on at the hospital. I’d better pick it up!”
Watching Audrey pick up the phone, Kim could not help but complain in a low voice, “You’re not a doctor. What’s the point of them calling you?”
The moment the phone call was connected, Rachael’s harsh curse came from the receiver.
“Damn girl, I’ve called you so many times. You don’t even know how to answer them? Are you dead?”
Rachael’s voice was loud. Even if Audrey did not turn on hands-free, Kim could still hear it very clearly.
If it were not for Audrey being Audrey’s mother, Kim would have started cursing her long ago.
Kim chided in his mind, “She deserves to be a noble lady? She’s so vulgar and worse than a shrew!”
Audrey was also helpless. She could only try to keep her tone calm and not escalate the conflict any further.
“Mom, I just finished my filming. How am I supposed to answer your call when I was hanging on a wire?”
Hearing Audrey’s explanation, there was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds.
Audrey then took the initiative to break the awkwardness.
“What can I do for you?”
Rachael became much more straightforward. She opened her mouth to state her purpose without hesitation.
“Hurry up and transfer me one million dollars!”
This statement surprised Audrey a bit.
“Mom, why do you suddenly need so much money?”
“Isn’t it just one million dollars?” Rachael’s tone was very dismissive.
Her attitude made it seem like she was asking for one hundred dollars instead of one million dollars.
“Just transfer it to me. Cut the crap!”
Kim was desperately trying to stop Audrey. Luckily, Audrey had not completely lost her reason.
“Mom, you tell me what you want all this money for all of a sudden first.”
Although Rachael was unwilling to explain, she still explained to Audrey for the sake of money.
“The money is definitely to pay for your father’s medical expenses. Don’t talk nonsense. Hurry up and transfer the money to me!”
After saying that, Rachael hung up the phone unceremoniously.
She did not even want to say a word more to Audrey.
Only after the call ended did Kim dare to come forward to Audrey and complain.
“Audrey, you don’t want to give her one million dollars, do you? You already did a lot for them these days, but they are not grateful at all. They’re asking for one million dollars from you as if they’re asking for one hundred dollars. Who can make money so fast?”
It was one million dollars, not one hundred dollars.
Seeing Audrey’s brows furrowed and her struggling, Kim hastened to dissuade her at the side.
“Audrey, you have to think clearly. You think I don’t know how much money you have? Besides, why should you carry all the pressure alone? Don’t your Mom and Liana have money?”
Audrey had told Kim most of what was going on. Therefore, Kim knew Rachael and Liana had much more money than Audrey.
They did not want to use their money to pay the medical bill, so they planned to take money from Audrey. They were so disgusting.
When they had money, they were condescending in front of Audrey and mocked her.
Now that they did not have that much money, they treated Audrey as an ATM. They asked for one million dollars from Audrey without feeling ashamed.
Kim’s persuasion made Audrey’s mind sober.
She thought to herself, “My Mom has more money than I do, but she just doesn’t want to use it to pay Dad’s medical bills.
“I can’t go on like this.” After that, Audrey handed her cell phone to Kim.
“I’ll leave this matter to you!”
Kim breathed a faint sigh of relief. He finally convinced Audrey. He then reported to Catherine about the matter secretly.
Chapter 519 The Physical Training
When Catherine received a message from Kim, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Her sister was actually making progress.
Branden happened to witness this scene when he came out.
Seeing her rare smile, he asked, ” What’s making you so happy?”
Catherine raised her phone and waved it at him. “Rachael tried to borrow money from Audrey and got rejected.”
Understanding her meaning, Branden smirked.
“Under your guidance, she is showing good judgment.”
Catherine gave him a disdainful glance.
Afterward, she called the hospital.
Korbin could use any medication he needed.
However, he must pay for the non- essential expenses.
It wasn’t that Catherine placed great importance on this matter. She considered it helping Audrey.
Once Catherine was done, Branden sat beside her and reached out to lift her up.
“I heard you’re starting college early this year. Shall I take you to Loxton next month?”
The meteorological department announced that this year’s peak temperatures would arrive earlier than in previous years. To ensure that the college students could complete their pre-school training smoothly, universities in Loxton had announced an early start to the academic year.
Styre University was no exception, which meant the academic year would begin half a month earlier than planned.
It was Catherine’s first time attending college, and Branden intended to escort her personally.
Catherine didn’t mind it. She casually replied, “You arrange it.”
Branden asked only to show respect for her, and he would make the arrangements regardless.
Styre University had organized a unique physical training week for the incoming freshmen. Thinking of the hot summer days and physical training on the field, Branden couldn’t help but furrow his brow.
“What if we cancel this physical training?”
For him, it wouldn’t be a difficult task.
Hearing his words, Catherine almost choked.
“Are you worried about my physical training?”
If Branden hadn’t been to Scorpion Island and hadn’t known she was Anon, Catherine would understand his worries.
From Catherine’s disdainful look, Branden understood her meaning.
“On Scorpion Island, you’re the instructor. It’s not the same as being trained during military exercises.”
Though he said that, he thought the instructors probably wouldn’t have the ability to train Catherine.
“No need to cancel it.”
In Catherine’s view, there was no need to trouble a whole group of people for the sake of one person.
Chapter 520 Catherine’s Choice
Rachael couldn’t get any money from Audrey, and Audrey’s phone was always busy. Rachael had to go to Liana to ask her to figure out a way to get the money.
“Liana, don’t you still have the fund your grandpa left you? Take some out!” Rachael urged.
Liana’s face immediately darkened after she heard this. She didn’t have much in her savings, and she needed that money for her future tuition and living expenses.
How could she take it out when she couldn’t even cover her own needs?
However, Rachael could casually buy a handbag worth the price of a whole house. Liana wondered why Rachael didn’t use that to help her father.
Since Audrey didn’t want to pay the money, Liana decided to take some extreme measures.
“Mom, Audrey wants to be a star, right? Since she’s not willing to pay, we can expose her for not supporting her parents and see how she fares in the industry!”
Rachael looked at her daughter in astonishment. She never expected Liana to have such a thought.
“Liana, you can’t do that!”
“Why not?” Liana didn’t believe her mother would suddenly care about mother-daughter bonds at a time like this. Rachael had always said that Liana was the most like her.
Liana admitted that, in some aspects, her way of handling things was indeed similar to Rachael’s.
So she didn’t need Rachael to say it. She was confident that her mother wouldn’t sympathize with Audrey.
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Rachael’s face as she looked at Liana with a gloomy face.
“Have you thought about the consequences of exposing this? This industry is very cutthroat. Don’t you understand?”
Once this matter made headlines, everyone would know that Rachael, the former glamorous socialite, couldn’t even afford her husband’s medical bills.
How much ridicule would she face?
She’d rather die than live like that.
Liana suddenly understood her mother’s meaning, and she didn’t want this either.
But if she didn’t pay this money, and her mother didn’t either, what would happen to her father lying in the hospital bed?
Rachael also noticed Liana’s thoughts and knew that Liana didn’t want to provide the money.
Rachael sighed in resignation and said, “We don’t have to worry that much. I don’t believe that Catherine would let your dad get kicked out of the hospital.”
It sounded like she was speaking to Liana, but it was more like consoling herself.
After all, she had never gained anything from Catherine. Liana also thought it made sense. As far as she was concerned, her father remaining unconscious was the best outcome.
“Mom, you’re right. That jinx won’t let Dad die. We should just let it be.”
The mother and daughter consoled each other, and in the end, neither of them had any intention of using their money to save Korbin.
A week passed, and Catherine received a call from the hospital.
“Miss Swann, your father’s medical bills remain unpaid. Should we continue the treatment?”
Catherine chuckled. She had anticipated the response from Rachael and Liana.
Rachael was capable of abandoning her child for personal gain, so her actions didn’t surprise Catherine.
As for Liana, her personality mirrored Rachael’s. Both of them were willing to do anything for their benefit. In Catherine’s view, it was no surprise that Liana acted this way.
Unfortunately, Korbin probably never imagined his beloved wife and daughter would treat him like this.
“Continue,” Catherine ordered coldly before hanging up the phone.
If Vicente were still alive, he wouldn’t want to see his son in this situation.
After ending the call, Catherine dialed Thomas’s number.
The doctors in Casier had run out of options, and if they wanted Korbin to wake up, they had to rely on Thomas.
Thomas had been with Scott these days. When Catherine called, Scott was right by his side.
Upon hearing Catherine on the line, Scott excitedly grabbed the phone.
“Chief, it’s me!” Scott exclaimed.
“I know.” Catherine had a low, attractive voice.
Scott became even more excited upon hearing her words.
He continued, “Chief, you’re amazing!
“Chief, I heard you’re going to study at Styre University. Is that true?”
Scott was particularly surprised to hear this news.
With Catherine’s abilities, becoming a professor at Styre University seemed like a waste. Scott didn’t expect Catherine would choose Styre University.
He wondered who in Styre University could even teach Catherine.
It would be a source of amusement.
But when Scott relayed these thoughts to Thomas, Thomas explained the reason to him. Catherine achieved what most people couldn’t in a lifetime at such a young age. She was a genius. However, geniuses were destined to be lonely.
To live a life more like an ordinary person, she had to experience the ordinary person’s journey.
Catherine’s choice was the right one. She was merely experiencing a different way of life. After hearing his grandfather’s explanation, Scott seemed to understand it to some extent.
Catherine was aware of Scott’s good relationship with Ronin, and she suspected that he had learned about her plans to attend Styre University from Ronin.
“Yes,” Catherine replied. She confirmed the fact that she was going to study at Styre University.
Scott immediately became excited and said, “Chief, I want to go too.
“Chief, I’m so happy to be able to see you more often!”
Given Scott’s status in the country, getting into Styre University was not a difficult thing for him.
Catherine noticed his excitement, but she didn’t say much in response.
Thomas was worried that Scott might be bothering Catherine, so he quickly took the phone and hung up.
At the Arbotte Laboratory, after Scott saw his grandfather finish the call, he looked a bit displeased.
“Grandpa, why didn’t you let me talk to the chief for a bit longer?”
Thomas knew that his grandson deeply admired Catherine and considered Catherine his idol. Scott held more respect for Catherine than he did for Thomas.
“If you keep pestering her, she might find you annoying. She likes peace, and if you make too much noise, she won’t be pleased.”
After Scott heard Thomas’s warning, he frowned with a gloomy face.
“Grandpa, does that mean I can’t talk to the chief anymore? What if she gets tired of me?”
Thomas had known Catherine for a long time and understood her personality better. So, what he said was quite possible.
Scott didn’t know how to handle this.
Seeing his grandson’s troubled expression, Thomas was worried. So, he changed his tone to comfort Scott.
“You don’t have to worry too much. As long as you don’t talk too much, for the sake of humoring me, Catherine won’t ignore you.”
After Scott heard his grandfather’s words, his brow furrowed even more.
This left Thomas somewhat puzzled. ” What’s with that expression, Scott?”
Scott responded with a disdainful look, “Grandpa, you’d better not think about these unrealistic things in the future. It’s so disgusting!”
After saying that, he turned and left.
Thomas was outraged. He angrily shouted at Scott’s retreating figure.
He cried out. “You ungrateful child of the Theos!”