Ch. 611..620

Chapter 611 Edson’s Arrival

Aidan caught Paxton’s glare and instinctively shrunk his neck.

“Isn’t it weird how it’s all aimed at Catherine?” Aidan asked. He didn’t notice that Branden’s eyes darkened suddenly after he spoke.

Branden’s eyes darkened with a gloomy look.

Then he said, “Keep eyes on him. Notify me pronto if anything comes up!

His chilling tone sent shivers down Paxton’s spine. He knew Edson had crossed a line with Branden.

“Sure. I’ll add more men to tail Edson,” Paxton replied.

The best of the Duncans’ Shadow Guards were already keeping tabs on Edson. After all, the Breens weren’t to be underestimated.

After Branden’s instructions, Paxton immediately deployed personnel to the highest level to ensure everything was foolproof.

Amid their conversation, Aidan suddenly remembered something and blurted it out.

He said, “By the way, remember when Catherine clashed with the Facers? The Breens sent a formal notice to the Facers and let Mr. Facer back down.”

As Aidan finished, he noticed both men’s focus shift to him, especially Branden, whose gaze made him nervously gulp.

Then he continued, “Don’t misunderstand. I’m not suggesting anything. I just thought maybe Catherine might know the Breens or have some connection. Shouldn’t we be cautious before we act?”

Paxton felt Aidan had a point. He turned to Branden and awaited further instructions.

Paxton’s implication was to have Branden ask Catherine about it.

This sort of thing could be resolved with just a single sentence.

However, Branden never meddled in Catherine’s affairs. They maintained a sense of mystery about each other and guessed each other’s moves.

The two of them happily played this trick, which exhausted people around them. After a few moments of silence, Branden’s answer remained unchanged. “Keep watching.”

Catherine stepped out of the lab slowly. As she lifted her gaze, she spotted Ronin, who had been waiting at the lab entrance.

The moment Catherine noticed Ronin, he, too, caught sight of her.

“Catherine…”

Ronin hadn’t seen Catherine for days and missed her very much.

After rushing to Catherine in a few steps, he said, “Catherine, let’s grab a bite, and then I’ll fill you in on everything!”

For Ronin, Catherine’s well-being came above all else.

No matter the size of the task, it wouldn’t stop him from getting her to eat. Catherine had no objections. It was lunchtime anyway, so they decided to have lunch together.

The two had barely taken a few steps when suddenly, a black sedan blocked their path. Ronin frowned and squinted at the car. The car windows were dark, and he could not see who was inside.

He whispered to Catherine, “Who’s this? He is so arrogant and rolls up in a flashy car to the campus.”

Styre University was known for strict management and top achievements, maintaining strict control over access and entry.

It maintained tight control and restrictions even on teachers’ vehicles, let alone outsiders entering the lab area.

This person’s car barging into the restricted zone indicated a significant status.

Before Catherine could respond, the car doors automatically opened. A man in a black suit stepped out.

Catherine’s eyes tightened instantly. She squinted ahead and quietly uttered a name, “Edson!”

Edson removed his sunglasses and revealed a handsome face that captivated all.

“Long time no see, Cassie.”

Edson had a strikingly handsome appearance. He was the epitome of the Euphosean ethnicity. He had well- defined features and captivating blue eyes, which added a touch of subtle allure to his handsome face.

Ronin’s sunny expression turned stormy as he saw Edson. He swiftly positioned himself in front of Catherine and directly faced Edson with a grim gaze.

“What’s your business here? Stay away from Catherine!”

Edson smirked coldly with mockery and disdain in his blue eyes. He replied, “Since when did Catherine’s lackey get the guts to talk to me like this?”

As Edson finished speaking, he casually twisted the ring on his little finger.

After Ronin saw this, his face turned pale with fear.

Sensing it, Catherine pulled Ronin behind her and warned Edson, “Don’t want a fight? Then stop provoking me!”

After speaking, Catherine grabbed Ronin’s hand and prepared to leave. Suddenly, Edson lunged forward. He reached out to grab Catherine’s shoulder and wanted to hold her.

In the next moment, Catherine executed a beautiful shoulder throw.

Edson was thrown forcefully to the ground, but his movements were remarkably agile. He swiftly rolled and got back on his feet.

Catherine acted fast, and her moves were precise and deadly.

The bodyguards in the car saw the situation turning sour and immediately rushed out. Catherine had already subdued Edson at this point.

Catherine shot them a cold glance, and the security guards, who had been about to intervene, stopped in their tracks.

They eyed Catherine cautiously but dared not approach.

With a firm grip on Edson’s arm, Catherine lifted it higher, which caused Edson to have a pained expression. He was clearly trying hard to endure the discomfort.

Catherine raised her hand slightly, and her voice carried a cold tone that sent chills down their spines.

“Feel free to move if you don’t want your hand to go.”

Edson didn’t dare challenge Catherine’s words. He knew better than anyone how ruthless she could be.

“Cassie, I just wanted to invite you to dinner. Why do you treat me so harshly?

“No need. Dining with you ruins my appetite.”

Catherine didn’t want a confrontation at Styre University with Edson, but it wouldn’t be her fault if Edson pushed it.

With a forceful push, Catherine sent Edson crashing to the ground. “Get lost!

After that, Edson sat on the ground and still stared at Catherine with a smirk.

The nearby bodyguards were stunned. It was the first time they’d seen Edson get beat up and still manage to smile.

Only Edson’s driver, who had been by his side since Edson’s childhood, knew that Edson had never won against Catherine.

From childhood till now, Edson had taken numerous beatings. He’d gotten used to it and could still manage a smile.

Catherine ignored Edson and directly left with Ronin.

As Catherine departed, Edson gazed after her with a mischievous smile.

He murmured, “Cassie, I’ll be waiting

for your return.”

Chapter 612 Clash of Two Men

Inside a restaurant, Catherine was calmly eating, while Ronin seemed quite restless. After wrestling with the thought for a while, he finally spoke up to Catherine.

He asked, “Catherine, what do you think Edson’s deal is, coming to you so openly without any reservations?”

Catherine slowly lifted her gaze. She glanced at him and asked, “Has he ever been discreet before?”

Ronin thought Catherine had a point. Edson was always unruly. Every time he saw Catherine, he was persistent and always got Ronin riled up.

Ronin asked, “Catherine, have you figured out how to handle Edson? Should we make some early arrangements? Just say the word, and I’ll set it up.”

Ronin wore an eager expression and awaited Catherine’s words. He was ready to take action.

However, Catherine looked at him coldly with disdain in her eyes. “What’s the point of all that? Do you get nothing better to do?”

“Catherine, I didn’t mean…”

Catherine lowered her eyes, and her voice turned colder. “Eat!”

This word made Ronin immediately shut his mouth. After lunch, with no lab work or classes to attend, Ronin wanted Catherine to accompany him somewhere.

“Where to?” Catherine asked.

“The mall!” Ronin suggested.

Catherine thought it was fine and agreed.

Then, the two headed to Loxton’s biggest mall for some shopping.

As soon as they entered, a dessert shop caught Ronin’s attention.

Unlike Catherine, who wasn’t fond of sweets, Ronin had a sweet tooth.

Withal had said before that Ronin’s love for sweets was all because of Catherine.

Catherine wasn’t interested in sweets, so Ronin wanted to taste all the delicious sweets and select the best ones for Catherine.

In his eyes, Catherine only deserved the very best.

“Catherine, this dessert here is amazing. One of them isn’t too sweet. I think it’s your kind of flavor. Do you

want to try it?” Ronin suggested.

Catherine didn’t object. She didn’t say anything against it, which Ronin understood as an agreement.

Ronin found a suitable spot for Catherine to sit while he took charge of lining up to get the dessert. Ronin’s boyish face was particularly reminiscent of the most popular boy band members nowadays.

His appearance attracted quite a bit of attention as soon as he showed up.

Despite hiding her face under a baseball cap, Catherine seemed even more intriguing while with Ronin. This air of mystery drew more attention from the people around them.

Everyone speculated about the face hiding beneath that hat.

Despite the intense curiosity from the onlookers, Ronin paid no attention. After buying the cake, he was about to head back.

Just as he turned, he sensed a commotion in the shop, accompanied by several gasps.

“Wow…”

“So handsome!”

“His eyes are so beautiful!”

“Look at that box he’s carrying. It’s very expensive. I heard anything from that brand could easily be traded for a luxury car!”

“Is he planning to propose?”

Ronin followed the crowd’s gaze, and when he saw Edson, his face darkened completely.

Through gritted teeth, he muttered, ” This persistent creep!”

Edson winked at Ronin before heading toward Catherine’s spot.

Ronin had chosen a corner table. He was much farther from Catherine than Edson was, so he lagged a distance behind.

Catherine was engrossed in her phone game. When Edson reached her, she didn’t even glance up.

Unperturbed, Edson smoothly pulled out a chair and sat opposite Catherine.

“Cassie, what a coincidence. I run into you again!” Edson said.

Catherine didn’t react at all. She didn’t bother to spare Edson a glance. Unfazed, Edson rested his chin on his hand. With a gentle smile on his face, he quietly gazed at her.

The onlookers were surprised that this new handsome foreigner had also come to Catherine, while Ronin looked furious.

They thought it should be interesting, so they took out their phones to capture the scene.

The former was sweet and handsome, while the latter was charming and wealthy. The crowd wondered who the cap-wearing lady would choose as these two styles of attractive men clashed.

Ronin hurried over to Edson and didn’t want to create a scene in public.

Suppressing his anger, he gritted his teeth and shouted, “Get up! It’s my seat!”

Edson slowly raised his head and glanced at Ronin with a smile as he asked, “Did you write your name on it? Or do you own this place?”

Ronin was infuriated and retorted.” Then I’ll buy this place right now!”

His expression showed no hint of jest, leaving everyone stunned. They hadn’t expected the young, charming boy to be a big spender.

Now, everyone looked at Catherine and waited for her reaction. They wanted to see which man Catherine would choose.

Some even started live streaming the scene on short video platforms, as if a grand event was about to unfold.

Aidan, who was idly scrolling through videos, stumbled upon this scene. While others might not have recognized her, he immediately identified the woman with the baseball cap as Catherine.

Slapping his thigh, he exclaimed, ”

Wow! What the heck!”

The woman beside him was startled and turned pale. She cautiously asked, ” Mr. Lane, what’s wrong?”

Pushing her aside, Aidan disdainfully said, “I have something to attend to. You stay put!”

He quickly screenshot the video and sent it to Branden.

Initially, he considered adding a cuckolded expression, but since it was Branden, he silently refrained.

With so many beautiful women outside, Aidan wanted to live a couple more years.

Branden was in a meeting when his phone rang suddenly.

After grabbing his phone and glancing at the screen, he recognized the figure in the screenshot. He immediately stood up and strode out of the conference room.

Seeing this, the executive, who was in the midst of a quarterly report, looked around with a perplexed expression.

He thought inwardly, “Did I make a mistake? Why did Mr. Duncan leave before the meeting ended?”

Paxton knew Branden had something urgent, so he swiftly took charge. He announced, “Mr. Duncan has some urgent matters to attend to. Today’s meeting ends here. Meeting adjourned!

After his announcement, he hurriedly left, leaving the people in the conference room bewildered. No one knew what had made Branden, this unshakable figure, suddenly leave like this.

Last time, when their subsidiary in Northern Euphosean was attacked in an air raid, the meeting proceeded as scheduled.

The analysis among the executives was that something major must have occurred internationally. Otherwise, Branden wouldn’t have reacted this way.

Chapter 613 The Jealous Branden

In the dessert shop, Catherine was still seated on the side, engrossed in playing the game. Ronin and Edson sat across from her. Seeing Edson not leaving, Ronin decided to join him.

He divided the cake and placed it in front of Catherine. “Catherine, try it when you have time. It tastes really good!”

Not to be outdone, Edson presented his gift and affectionately said, “Cassie, this is a bracelet. From the moment I saw it, I felt it was perfect for you!”

Without responding to either of them, Catherine skillfully manipulated the buttons on her phone. In a moment of leisure, she picked up a fork, scooped a spoonful of cake, and tasted it.

Observing Catherine enjoying the cake, Ronin couldn’t help but feel proud. He glanced at Edson with a smug expression.

“Ronin, you’re still as childish as ever!” Edson said nonchalantly.

This remark almost broke Ronin’s composure. Angry but managing to suppress his emotions, Ronin retorted to Edson, “Compared to your pestering, my immaturity is at least appreciated, isn’t it?”

They had known each other for many years, and Catherine had always favored Ronin over Edson. In Ronin’s eyes, Edson’s jealousy stemmed from this. He was envious of Ronin because he was not as favored.

The next moment, Edson’s expression changed. Even though it was subtle and probably unnoticeable to the others, Ronin noticed it.

Ronin had dealt with Edson for so many years; every time Edson got angry, the blue color of his eyes deepened slightly. Ronin knew it very well.

Seeing Edson upset, Ronin felt as if he had won a victory. As the game ended, Catherine casually tossed her phone aside. Everyone eagerly watched as Catherine prepared to speak.

Edson seemed a bit nervous, unsure of how Catherine would react. Usually proud, he felt uncertain in Catherine’s presence.

“Kathy!” Suddenly, a familiar voice caught Catherine’s attention. She instinctively turned her head, and those around her followed suit.

At that moment, many held their breaths, awestruck. “Wow, he’s so handsome!” they exclaimed in their mind.

They thought today truly was a feast for the eyes. They saw three incredibly handsome guys, each outshining the other.

Branden walked confidently toward Catherine, stopping in front of her without sparing a glance at Edson. ” Ready to go?” He gazed at Catherine’s beautiful face, and his tone was gentle.

“Yes,” Catherine replied, standing up. Branden took her hand without hesitation. Catherine didn’t resist, allowing Branden to lead her away.

Ronin watched as Branden, with Catherine in tow, left. The sight of Edson’s gloomy face cheered him up, and he even couldn’t help but hum a tune.

Edson’s face darkened completely as he threw the gift box toward Ronin. “It’s yours!”

Ronin accepted it gladly. After all, only a fool would refuse a gift for nothing. He then shouted after Edson’s retreating figure, “Thanks! Take care. I won’t see you off.”

After Branden led Catherine out of the restaurant, they got into the car. As they got in, Paxton handed over a delicate bag. “Sir.”

Branden took the bag and opened it on the small table in the car, revealing a beautifully crafted chocolate mousse cake. It was the signature product from the dessert shop they were at earlier.

“Do you want some now?” Branden asked gently.

Catherine glanced and realized it was the same cake Ronin had ordered for her. Ronin ordered three different kinds, but she only chose this one.

However, she only took a bite before Edson interrupted, and she lost her appetite for it. It tasted good, but she didn’t eat anymore. Surprisingly, Branden noticed it.

Catherine picked up a fork and took a small bite. The taste was the same, but her mood had changed, making the cake even more delicious.

Branden had found the livestream account after receiving Aidan’s message. He watched the livestream on the way, not missing any of Catherine’s expressions.

“Edson Breen, you’ve got some nerve. To come all the way back from abroad to hit on my woman, do you have a death wish?” he said inwardly.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, Paxton felt the atmosphere in the car tense suddenly, and his hands on the steering wheel couldn’t stop trembling.

Like Branden, he kept an eye on the livestream. The difference was that he did this because he was afraid of something unexpected and was always prepared.

From his observation, he could tell that Catherine was not interested in Edson and was even a bit bored.

‘I didn’t realize Mr. Duncan would be jealous over something like that. As expected, a man in love had no emotional intelligence,’ he thought.

The car smoothly stopped in front of the apartment. Catherine had just finished the last bite of cake as she deftly opened the car door.

Branden followed closely, and once they were back in the apartment, Catherine lay down on the single sofa as usual.

Coming in later, Branden asked in a usual tone, “Are you hungry? Want something to eat?”

“No, I just had cake. I’m not hungry.” Though the chocolate cake wasn’t large, it tended to be a little too sweet, and Catherine felt a bit full after having a piece. She did not want to eat anything yet.

The man approached, pulling off his tie as he walked. Having come directly from a meeting, he was still in formal wear.

The next moment, just as Catherine felt something strange and turned her head, he had unbuttoned his shirt and leaned in.

He propped his powerful hands on both sides of the sofa, and his deep eyes squinted, fixed on Catherine with intense heat.

Due to the unbuttoning, the shirt casually draped over his shoulders, revealing a strong, bronzed chest, charming and enchanting.

Catherine wasn’t alarmed. Her bright eyes turned slightly, and the upturned ends of her eyes hinted at a trace of charm.

“What do you want to do?” she asked with a deliberately prolonged tone that could captivate and bewitch.

“Heehee.” The man chuckled lowly, his magnetic voice pleasing. “You’ve eaten your fill, and now it should be my turn, right?”

“You want me?” Catherine raised an eyebrow slightly.

Branden nodded without hesitation.

Catherine extended a finger, gently gesturing toward him. Given permission, Branden no longer hesitated. A blaze of anger erupted at this moment.

When Catherine woke up the next day, she realized just how jealous Branden was yesterday. Despite her sturdy physique, she felt like she couldn’t get out of bed the next day.

Chapter 614 Disguise

In the shadows, the assistant knocked on Edson’s door and entered upon receiving permission. The room was in chaos, filled with champagne and swirling smoke.

Two gracefully shaped, provocatively dressed blondes were currently entwined around Edson, who sat calmly in the center, holding a cigar.

Amidst the smoke, his already somber face appeared even colder, making it impossible to discern his current mood.

The blondes obediently stepped aside when the assistant entered. The assistant approached and handed over the collected information. “Boss, here are the things you wanted.”

Edson glanced around. Then, the two blonde women wiggled their hips and gracefully left the room.

To the outside world, Edson seemed like a debauched, extravagant playboy. Only his assistant, who had been with him since childhood and considered his right-hand man, knew Edson’s true nature.

Beneath the facade of recklessness, Edson was extremely cold, cunning, and intelligent. Within the Breens, aside from the current head, Shane, no one was more formidable than Edson. His playful appearance was just a disguise.

Hidden behind this layer of disguise, Edson demonstrated his genius tactics, gradually bringing the Breens under his control.

His ruthlessness terrified others, but few people knew this because those who witnessed his methods were almost all silenced.

The only exception was Shane’s adopted daughter and, at the same time, Edson’s fiancée. Edson looked at the documents, somewhat surprised by the information on the man presented.

He had heard that the current heir of the Duncans was a rare business genius and was outstanding, but Edson didn’t expect him to be this exceptional.

The Duncans were not only wealthy but also held unparalleled power in Eskana.

The assistant explained in a hushed tone, “Boss, this is the information we could find now. I believe there is much more hidden. The Duncans’ strength is much greater than we imagined.”

Moreover, they were in Eskana, the Duncans’ territory. Trying to understand the Duncans’ influence was unimaginably difficult.

“Boss, Mr. Shane instructed us to avoid conflicts with the Duncans as much as possible,” added the assistant.

Edson took a deep breath, squinting at the photo in the documents.

“Did Catherine think she could escape me by dating the heir of the Duncans? No way! As long as I’m alive, Catherine has to be my fiancée,” he said inwardly.

He believed he and Catherine were destined to be together, and only he was worthy of her.

“Where is Cassie now? Styre University?

“he asked.

When Edson asked, the assistant lowered his head slightly and explained the situation.

“Boss, according to our intelligence, Miss Swann is not at school but in an apartment near the university, and the owner of that apartment is Branden.”

Edson frowned, and his gaze instantly became sharp. “Living together?” he thought and smashed the glass in his hand against the wall.

“Bang!”

With a resounding crash, the glass shattered into pieces. The assistant stood silently on the side, not daring to breathe too loudly.

Edson gritted his teeth and murmured in a cold voice, “Cassie, you’re getting bolder.”

The atmosphere in the room tensed suddenly, and nobody dared to provoke Edson now. After a long silence, Edson finally spoke. He instructed his assistant on the side, “Have someone send a gift to Cassie.”

Chapter 615 A Business War

Although it was the weekend, Catherine had initially planned to go to the lab. However, Branden’s arrival disrupted her plans.

Branden stayed with her the whole time, from day to night, working from home. While she played games, Branden worked on his computer.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and Branden set aside his computer and stood up. “It might be Paxton delivering something; I’ll go open the door.”

Catherine did not react, thinking that opening the door didn’t require both of them.

“Sir, is Miss Swann here? We have a delivery for her. Could you please have her sign for it?”

Hearing the unfamiliar voice outside, Catherine voluntarily stood up. ” Looking for me?”

Branden stepped aside slightly, making room. Catherine could sense that his mood wasn’t good. His face was stern.

Catherine glanced at the unfamiliar man standing in front. “I’m Catherine Swann. Are you looking for me?”

The man immediately flashed a signature smile, lifting two large boxes beside him. “Miss Swann, this is your delivery. Please sign for it.”

Besides a massive bouquet of flowers, there was also a large box that looked quite exquisite.

Catherine took a quick glance, removed the card from the bouquet, and immediately knew who it was from, seeing the special symbols in the card’s message. Her expression turned a bit unpleasant.

The poor delivery guy. Facing the icy atmosphere from both sides, he still had to maintain a professional smile and resist the urge to tremble to complete the service.

“Miss Swann, the gift is a bit large. Should I help you bring it inside?”

Catherine’s gaze turned colder; she tossed the card onto the flowers like throwing away trash and said coldly to the delivery guy, “Take it back.”

The delivery guy who had just managed to maintain a smile now felt like crying.

“Miss Swann, is there something wrong with my service? We are committed to delivering the items to you. Regardless of the reason, the customer won’t accept the deliveries being returned.”

Catherine had no intention of making things difficult for these people-they were just doing their job. She replied straightforwardly, “There’s a trash can on the basement first floor. Help me throw it away. You can consider it accepted and help me throw out the garbage.”

After saying that, she didn’t give the delivery guy a chance to continue and directly closed the door.

The rejected delivery guy, somewhat helpless, hid in the stairwell, dialed his supervisor’s number, and reported the situation.

The supervisor wasn’t surprised by the situation. After all, if gifts personally sent by their boss could be sent back, their deliveries stood no chance.

Catherine rejecting them was a normal thing. Anyway, their goal had been achieved, hadn’t it?

Inside the room, after refusing the gift, Catherine continued to return to the sofa to play games.

The usually calm man seemed a bit uneasy at the moment.

He didn’t need to guess to know who the gift had just come from. He turned into the room and dialed Paxton’s number.

After arranging everything, he came out of the room and asked Catherine on the sofa, “Hungry? Shall I cook some oatmeal for you?”.

Since waking up in the afternoon until now, Catherine hadn’t eaten anything and was indeed a bit hungry. She casually nodded. “Sure.”

After that, the man went into the kitchen. The atmosphere indoors remained as if nothing had happened. However, Catherine could still feel that the man was angry.

The game continued, but Catherine had lost interest. She threw the phone aside and went to the kitchen. The man was cutting something, his focused expression making him incredibly handsome.

Catherine folded her arms in front of her chest and leaned against the door frame, quietly watching him.

Just as the man turned around after preparing the food, their eyes met. His plain face instantly softened a bit. ” Hungry?”

“No.” Catherine shook her head, denying it, but didn’t leave. She just silently watched Branden.

No one mentioned the incident just now, as if nothing had happened. Branden didn’t want to question Catherine about it. Even though Edson had angered him, Catherine had nothing to do with it, and she had immediately rejected the other party.

Only useless men would vent their anger on their own women.

As for Catherine, she never liked to explain too much. But if Branden asked, she would explain everything.

After washing his hands, Branden took a step forward and gently embraced her. Leaning his chin on her head, he sighed helplessly and said, “Just wait a little longer. It’ll be ready soon.”

“Okay.” With a decisive pull, Catherine brought him closer and lightly kissed his cheek. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

The resentment Branden felt a moment ago completely disappeared. Even the oatmeal boiling in the pot, with bubbles rising, now seemed cute.

Edson, who had been feeling triumphant, unexpectedly received an urgent report from his assistant. The assistant hurriedly approached Edson and conveyed the latest intelligence.

“Boss, the stock prices of several subsidiaries in Loxton plummeted overnight. The losses can’t be estimated for now.”

Edson’s triumphant expression vanished instantly, and his gaze now was full of malice. “The Duncans did this?”

The assistant nodded nervously. ”

Although we don’t have concrete evidence, it should be the Duncans’ doing. No other family has the power besides them.”

“Heh!” Edson sneered coldly. Branden was impressive. He only sent a small gift, yet Branden directly eradicated several of his bases. Edson’s eyes grew colder as he looked at the data reported by his assistant.

The assistant, increasingly anxious, hesitated momentarily before asking, ” Boss, should we temporarily withdraw the heads of the bases? Once this matter blows over, we can regroup and quickly have them return to their original positions.”

“Hmph!” Edson disdainfully snorted, and the deep blue color of his eyes gradually darkened, exuding a chilling aura. “No need. We’ll clash sooner or later and might as well start directly.”

The scared assistant broke out in a cold sweat and asked, “Boss, what about Mr. Shane then?”

Before he could finish his sentence, Edson coldly interrupted, saying, ”

Shane is getting old. The future of the Breens ultimately needs me to inherit. If I say this is how we’re handling it, then that’s how we’re handling it.”

The assistant dared not defy Edson and immediately nodded in agreement. Boss, I’ll take care of it right away.”

A large-scale business war was about to begin.

Chapter 616 Revealed Identity

Loxton, seemingly calm, appeared to have hidden turmoil lately. Not only did Aidan come, but Triston also rushed to Loxton from Casier.

During this period, Audrey had been dealing with Korbin’s mess, hiring a caregiver to take care of him. As for Rachael and Liana, she didn’t want to get involved anymore. Following Liana’s suggestion, she let them face the legal consequences.

Thanks to Marshall’s special arrangements with the school, Catherine immersed herself in the laboratory every day and rarely attended classes other than a few main courses. Now, not only Marshall but even the school’s principal favored this genius student.

Marshall arrived at the lab and was somewhat surprised to find Catherine already there.

In his perception, Catherine was a rare genius researcher. Unfortunately, she lacked some of the noble qualities of a researcher. Relying on her exceptional talent, she never worked hard, living a carefree life.

However, she was capable enough to be lazy, as if she needed to do nothing, yet everything belonged to her. Among everyone in the lab, she was the most casual, but her grades were the best, unmatched by anyone.

Recently, Marshall noticed that Catherine’s diligence was somewhat unusual. Sensing something amiss, Marshall, who usually didn’t gossip, decided to find out this time.

He lightly knocked on the door, and Catherine responded without raising her head, “Come in.”

Marshall originally intended to inquire about her recent situation. No matter what, she was his student, and it was only right to be more concerned about the student’s life.

But after approaching, Marshall’s attention was captivated by Catherine’s computer.

Catherine was deducing the latest calculated data on the computer. After carefully examining it, Marshall pushed his glasses and was almost fascinated.

Looking at the data generated on the computer, he widened his mouth in astonishment. “This…”

Catherine ignored him and, fully focused, continued deducing her data.

Marshall, internally shocked, did not dare to disturb her and couldn’t find words to describe his amazement.

After Catherine finished deducing and stood up, she turned around to see Marshall dumbfounded beside her.

“Professor Hartley, what’s wrong?” Catherine asked.

“Catherine, did you deduce this yourself?” Marshall’s voice was somewhat cold, and if one knew him well, they could sense his suppressed emotions.

How he wished everything before his eyes was just a learning video created by Catherine. But he knew that was impossible.

Catherine didn’t deny it. She nodded.

Marshall’s gaze immediately darkened, and his expression was solemn as he stared intensely at Catherine. “Who are you, and what is your purpose in the lab?”

Once, Marshall thought Catherine was a genius student with strong learning abilities. But now, he didn’t think so. The data Catherine had just deduced was not something ordinary. Even he, perhaps, didn’t have that capability.

The entire Eskana couldn’t have a second person like this. He did not know why Catherine could do this.

He was now certain that Catherine had been exposed to this project before, perhaps even understanding the entire experiment better than they did.

“If that’s the case, why did Catherine come to Styre University for college, and what is her purpose in the lab? Is all this a conspiracy?” he thought.

Marshall looked at her with a pained expression; he didn’t want to give up on such a talented individual like Catherine. “Catherine, it’s not too late to confess now. Do you understand?”

Chapter 617 Bring the Duncans Down

Catherine, seeing Marshall’s serious and stern attitude, couldn’t help but find it somewhat amusing. “Professor Hartley, what do you want me to confess?” she asked.

Seeing her somewhat indifferent attitude, looking casual and carefree, Marshall couldn’t help but feel angry. Confess. Who are you, and what is your purpose at Styre University? Or, why are you in the lab?”

Catherine raised her eyes slightly and looked at him, saying seriously without any ambiguity, “I’m only going to say something once. I’m Catherine Swann, and I came to Styre University for only one purpose-to study! As for the lab, you brought me here.”

After saying this, Catherine bypassed Marshall and left the lab. Her data had been checked, and she could take a temporary break. During this time, she had been working overtime on experiments.

Shane had already arranged for Edson to come to Eskana, so she had to speed up the process to have a chance to outpace Shane.

Marshall watched Catherine’s retreating figure, his brows tightly knitted. Although Catherine’s words didn’t seem like a lie, the matter was significant, and there couldn’t be any mistakes.

He believed Catherine but had to report for the lab’s safety. Marshall took out his phone and dialed the principal’s number. “Sir, I have something to report. I think there’s something off about Catherine.”

On the other end of the phone, the principal instructed Marshall. “Come to my office.”

Ten minutes later, Marshall appeared in the principal’s office. After a brief report on Catherine’s suspicious situation, he immediately defended her.

“Sir, I think Catherine might have been unintentionally misled. She has extraordinary talent and is a once-in-a -century genius…”

The principal raised his hand to interrupt Marshall’s lengthy explanation. “Marshall, you seem to care a lot about this student.”

The principal was not only Marshall’s superior but also a colleague and friend for many years. Marshall was usually immersed in his experiments and data and rarely showed such concern, even for his son.

Marshall smiled awkwardly and said, ” I’m mainly impressed by her excellence. I’m not exaggerating; she’s genuinely talented!”

The principal nodded in agreement. ” You’re right; Catherine is indeed exceptionally gifted.”

Seeing an opportunity, Marshall continued, “Sir, I feel there might be a misunderstanding. We need to investigate a bit more.”

“Haha…” The principal laughed. ” Marshall, do you not understand how crucial your project is?”

Marshall looked at the principal suspiciously. “What do you mean?”

The principal smiled mysteriously and kept silent, and Marshall became anxious and said, “Just be straight with me. I’m afraid I’m not as sharp as you are. I can’t guess.”

The principal glared at him in dissatisfaction. “Your lack of emotional intelligence is astounding. Can’t you see? For your project, can just anyone be involved? Forget about Catherine; even your background is thoroughly checked. Focus on your project. Catherine’s identity is fine; she’s just a talented person with a unique background.”

The principal then winked at him suddenly and whispered, “That’s what the higher-ups said, and I don’t even know the details. Anyway, there is nothing wrong with her identity.”

A huge weight lifted off Marshall’s heart, but the mystery surrounding Catherine’s identity increased.

Since the principal could say that, it meant that Catherine’s identity was indeed fine. But even the principal didn’t know the details, so it could be seen how mysterious Catherine’s identity was.

Aware of Marshall’s dilemma, the principal patted his shoulder and said, ” You’re a researcher, so just focus on your research. We don’t need to get involved in those matters. As long as you know that she’s a good person and poses no harm.”

With these words, Marshall suddenly reacted and understood. His previously furrowed brows relaxed at this moment, and he became much calmer.

“Yeah, what you said makes sense. I’ll focus on my experiments. As long as there are no problems with my students, I’m fine! I’ll take my leave now. Let’s have coffee next time.” With that, Marshall left happily.

Watching his departing figure, the principal shook his head helplessly.

‘It’s uncertain who is the student of whom,’ he thought. If Catherine hadn’t come to experience university life on a whim, it would probably have been challenging for the school to invite such a talent to a guest lecture.

After leaving the laboratory, Catherine ran into Ronin. It wasn’t a coincidence. Ronin had deliberately waited for her here.

He didn’t know when Catherine would finish her experiments and come out; Catherine hated interruptions when she was concentrating on something.

Knowing Catherine’s habits, he never went into the lab to disturb her. He waited at the lab’s door, thinking that he would always manage to catch Catherine when she came out.

Sure enough, after waiting for a good while, she appeared.

Seeing Catherine coming out, Ronin quickly caught up. “Catherine, I need to talk to you. Let’s go to that pavilion over there, out of the sun.”

Catherine nodded, walked to the nearby pavilion, and casually sat down. Seeing Ronin still standing, she glanced at an empty seat nearby. “Sit down and speak. Your standing makes me have to look up at you all the time.”

Ronin had recently experienced a growth spurt. Although he still had a boyish face, his height had already surpassed 5.9 feet. If he kept growing, he might reach 6.2 feet.

Although Catherine was tall, there was still a difference between their heights.

Upon hearing Catherine’s words, Ronin immediately sat down. “Catherine, I need to talk to you about Edson. He’s been quite active lately, and it seems he’s targeting the Duncan Corporation. His successive attacks on several subsidiaries have caused considerable damage to the Duncan Corporation.”

After saying that, Ronin stole a glance at Catherine. Seeing her indifferent expression, he continued, “Catherine, it seems the Duncan Corporation is in trouble. Shouldn’t we lend a hand?”

Regardless of Edson’s reasons for targeting the Duncan Corporation because of Catherine or the relationship between Branden and Catherine, they should offer some support.

To Ronin’s surprise, Catherine’s response to this suggestion almost choked him with his own saliva.

Catherine casually replied, “No need to bother. Let them be. If Edson can bring down the Duncans, I have a chance to support him.”

Ronin had finally managed to swallow the saliva he almost choked on. He didn’t expect Catherine to have such a thought. She seemed to be hoping for the Duncans’ bankruptcy, allowing her to support Branden.

Thinking about it, Ronin felt that Branden was also pitiable. He probably never would have guessed that Catherine had this plan hidden in her thoughts.

Although he felt Branden was not wrong, Ronin knew he had to be unconditionally loyal to Catherine. After hesitating for a while, he could only apologize to Branden in his heart.

He raised his head decisively and looked at Catherine with determination. “Catherine, what if we add some fuel and directly bring the Duncans down?”

Chapter 618 A Significant Loss

At the Duncan Corporation, a high- level meeting was in progress, and Branden, who had maintained a constant expression throughout in the head seat, suddenly furrowed his brow.

The executives below were scared out of their wits and shivered, especially the manager who was reporting the situation.

He was already nervous. Seeing the change in Branden’s expression, he was now trembling in fear as if seized by an epileptic fit, unsure which part of his report had angered the big boss.

In that split second, Branden felt a chill down his spine, suspecting someone was cursing him behind his back. He could not help but furrow his brows.

Sensing the change in the atmosphere of the meeting room, the manager, who was reporting, paused in his narration. Branden waved his hand, gesturing for the other party to continue.

When the manager saw that Branden had no inclination to burst into anger, he carefully continued, “Based on the latest data summary from last week, as of the end of last week, our group has incurred a huge loss in the projects we are competing with the subsidiaries of the Breen Group.”

Hearing the financial report, everyone present turned ashen-faced.

Since Branden took charge of the Duncans, this was the first time they had suffered such a significant loss. However, facing the globally renowned Breens and entering into a battle with them, such losses were somewhat expected.

The manager stopped reporting after presenting the situation, waiting for Branden to speak.

Paxton handed the latest data to Branden. Branden glanced at it indifferently and said expressionlessly, “Continue.”

The high-level executives exchanged puzzled glances and thought, “Are we going to continue with such heavy losses? Is Mr. Duncan planning to compete head-on with the Breens to the end?”

This clearly wasn’t a wise decision. Regardless of whether they won or lost in this business battle, it wouldn’t bode well for the Duncans.

After all, Eskana was the Duncans’ stronghold. As long as they resisted, the Duncans had a good chance of winning. However, the Breens were formidable opponents. This business battle would undoubtedly severely damage the Duncans.

If the Breens lost, they could temporarily withdraw from Eskana or even just leave Loxton. After two years of recuperation, they could return, which was a routine strategy for the powerful Breens.

But it was different for the Duncans. Although the Duncans had vast influence and steadily developed year by year, Loxton had numerous powerful families, with several eyeing the Duncans.

Once the Duncans fell, these local forces would not hesitate to come forward to target them.

At that time, even if the Duncans defeated the Breens and returned to deal with these native forces, given the losses they had suffered previously, they might find themselves overwhelmed.

It might potentially cause severe consequences and drag down the entire Duncan Corporation.

But Branden’s words were not up for discussion. He was directly informing these people of his decision.

“Scatter!” Branden ordered, then stood up and left.

The high-level executives looked at each other, but no one dared to say anything publicly. Finally, all eyes turned to Paxton.

As Branden’s special assistant, he was the person who understood Branden’s thoughts the most. Everyone placed their hopes on him, and someone couldn’t help but boldly ask, “Mr. Paxton, what does Mr. Duncan mean?”

Paxton smiled faintly and said softly, ” You’ve all been at the Duncan Corporation for quite a while.

Following Mr. Duncan for so many years, you’ve witnessed numerous storms, big and small. When has Mr. Duncan ever made a wrong decision? If you still have doubts, feel free to seek other jobs later.”

With this simple statement, everyone immediately kept silent. Despite Paxton’s current smiling demeanor, the icy coldness in his eyes was terrifying. Scared, everyone quickly apologized and made excuses.

“Mr. Paxton, there’s a misunderstanding. We were just asking.

“Yes, just asking.”

Paxton had no intention of chatting with these hindrances; he had a lot of things to do. After collecting his things, he ignored the discussions in the room and followed Branden’s footsteps to leave.

Back in the president’s office, Paxton promptly handed over the collected intelligence to Branden. “Sir, this is Edson’s recent movements. He has been to Styre University three times but hasn’t seen Miss Swann. Miss Swann has been in the lab all this time, rarely leaving the campus.”

Engrossed in reading documents, Branden furrowed his brow upon hearing this. “In the lab all the time?” he asked.

“Yes.” Paxton nodded slightly. Knowing that Branden cared about Catherine, he quickly added, “We regularly arrange for food and desserts to be delivered to Styre University. Miss Swann accepts it as long as it’s sent in your name.”

A faint smile curved Branden’s lips when he heard that Catherine would accept it as long as it was sent in his name.

Those days, he had been busy with the deployment and hadn’t had time to go to Styre University. A surge of longing welled up within him at the mention of Catherine.

Branden then stood up and grabbed his coat. Seeing this, Paxton guessed that Branden was going to find Catherine.

Only Catherine could make him, the workaholic, put aside work. Paxton immediately informed his subordinates and arranged the car.

Half an hour later, a low-key black Bentley slowly stopped at the entrance of Styre University. Sitting in the front seat, Paxton asked in a low voice, “Sir, should we inform the school to open the gate?”

While other people’s cars couldn’t get into Styre University, it wasn’t hard for them.

“No need.” After Branden briefly replied, he pushed open the car door and got out. Catherine didn’t like being too high-profile, so he chose to walk in to find her.

Below the dormitory for girls, Catherine had just finished class with Amelia and came back. Amelia, exhausted, had drooping shoulders, looking utterly drained.

“Super Catherine, how can you not react at all? Don’t you find what the professor said in class just now as incomprehensible as a foreign language?” She had almost fallen asleep, barely holding on until the end of class. Catherine, on the other hand, seemed unfazed.

Today’s main course was indeed a bit challenging, but for Catherine, it was like elementary school-level questions. She didn’t bother to listen, so naturally, she wouldn’t be tired.

Seeing Catherine not responding, Amelia didn’t mind; she was already used to Catherine’s personality. Anything that made Super Catherine comment had to be a significant event.

Boredly walking forward, Amelia suddenly heard whispers around her. She looked toward the voices and excitedly tugged at Catherine’s sleeve. ” Super Catherine, look quickly, a handsome foreign guy!”

Catherine, disturbed by her sudden exclaim, couldn’t help but furrow her brows. She followed where Amelia was pointing.

Then, her brows furrowed even more intensely. Indeed, the man was as annoying as a fly, impossible to get rid of.

Chapter 619 Treat a Meal

When Catherine caught sight of Edson, she felt a moment of annoyance and turned around, preparing to leave.

At this point, Edson had already spotted Catherine. Seeing Catherine about to leave, he hurriedly caught up. Cassie!”

Amelia was puzzled by Catherine’s sudden change of direction and did not know what had happened. Then she witnessed the handsome foreign guy suddenly chasing after Catherine and shouting her name.

Amelia was dumbfounded, muttering to herself, “Oh my goodness, Super Catherine is truly different. Even such a top-notch foreign guy is chasing after her.”

Hearing footsteps behind her, Catherine halted, hands in her pockets. She then adopted a cool demeanor and stared at Edson.

Displaying a domineering attitude, she said with an icy tone devoid of emotion, “If you think a beating isn’t enough, feel free to try.”

Catherine assumed a ready-to-fight posture, scaring Edson pale. He had never suffered such humiliation in his life. Among all the women globally, only Catherine dared to lay a hand on him.

What was worse was that his combat strength was lower than Catherine’s, so he couldn’t win in a physical confrontation. Edson raised his hand in a gesture for a pause and looked at Catherine with deep affection.

“Cassie, we’re friends after all. I came to Eskana for business, and is this the attitude I get when I meet an old friend like you? Shouldn’t you invite me for a meal and catch up?”

Catherine wasn’t buying the tactics that usually worked on ordinary people. She gave Edson a cold look and was full of disdain. “An old friend? Who said we’re friends?”

She knew what Edson was thinking. Her eyes lowered, and within the cold gaze, there was a strong warning. “I advise you not to bother me. Otherwise, I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle the consequences.”

Catherine didn’t show Edson any respect, making his expression extremely unpleasant. He squinted his eyes and stared at Catherine with a threatening look, questioning, “Am I that undesirable to you?”

Before Catherine could respond, a sudden voice interrupted the tension. ”

Don’t you even know whether you’re desirable or not? Do you lack that basic self-awareness?”

The deep voice attracted everyone’s attention. Branden, with an imposing stride, walked toward them. His tall figure and perfect facial features made him look like a walking magazine cover.

He went straight to Catherine and wrapped his strong arms around her slender waist, boldly asserting his dominance. Catherine stood quietly on the side and tacitly approved his actions, completely agreeing with him.

Edson’s smile disappeared when he saw Branden’s arrival.

Despite seemingly having a better chance of winning against the Duncan Corporation in their recent war, their company had suffered significant losses as well. If not for the Breens’ deep pockets, they might not have been able to hold on.

The fresh grievances mingled with old resentments. Seeing Branden now, he restrained himself forcefully and managed to suppress the fury within him.

“Mr. Duncan, this is between Cassie and me. I’m afraid it’s not your turn to intervene, is it?” said Edson.

“Cassie? Well, the address is quite affectionate. Hopefully, you’ll stay as firm later,” Branden said inwardly.

“Mr. Edson, don’t forget, Catherine is now my fiancée. As long as it concerns her, I have the right to get involved,” replied Branden.

Watching the two of them quarrel like kids, Catherine stood aside, rolling her eyes silently.

The word “fiancée” completely stimulated Edson; his face instantly cooled, and the deep blue color of his eyes darkened as he stared fixedly at Catherine. “Fiancée? Cassie, are you serious? Could it be…”

Before Edson could finish, Catherine interrupted him, saying, “Go ahead if you dare.”

Her simple threat silenced Edson.

Even though Catherine disliked him, Edson understood her well enough.

He knew Catherine was already angry, and if he truly provoked her, she wouldn’t show respect to anyone. She would silence him even if she chased him to the ends of the earth.

He didn’t dare challenge Catherine and could only choose to remain silent.

However, Branden’s expression not only did not relax but became even more serious when he saw Catherine stop Edson.

The infamous and rebellious socialite Edson, known for deviating from the norm, closed his mouth because of Catherine’s words. Was he too afraid of Catherine, or did he have other intentions?

Suppressing his anger, Branden gently said to Catherine, “A guest is a guest. No matter what, Mr. Edson has come from afar. Shouldn’t we extend some hospitality and invite Mr. Edson to dinner?”

Catherine shrugged indifferently and casually said, “As long as it makes you happy.”

Branden smiled gently at her, and they looked very much in love.

His gaze then fell on Edson. “Mr. Edson, would you do us the honor?”

Edson, with a forced smile, responded, “With pleasure.” He wanted to see just how affectionate Branden and Catherine really were.

After the two settled things, Catherine turned to the bewildered Amelia on the side and asked, “Do you want to head back to the dormitory for now?”

Amelia was grateful for Catherine’s consideration and glanced at her with admiration. She couldn’t handle such a situation; she might not survive the tense atmosphere.

“Yes, yes, I’ll go first. See you all later,” Amelia hurriedly replied and left. For her, witnessing such an impressive show was already more than enough. Delving further into gossip might be too much for her to handle.

Half an hour later, the group appeared at Loxton’s finest restaurant. Branden had the waiter hand the menu to Edson. “As our guest, please go ahead and order first.”

Edson smiled coldly. “Guests should abide by the host’s preferences. Mr. Duncan, you order first.”

Branden graciously accepted the menu and started to order. He teased and said, “It seems Mr. Edson is quite familiar with Eskana. You know many of the customs.”

“My fiancée is Eskanese, and I love her deeply. For her, I’m willing to understand Eskana’s culture,” Edson replied and glanced in Catherine’s direction with a particularly ambiguous look in his eyes.

Branden naturally noticed this scene. The atmosphere around him instantly tensed up, making it seemingly hard to breathe.

Edson wore a triumphant expression when he saw Branden was angry. “Mr. Duncan, I assume you understand that feeling of loving someone and being willing to tolerate everything for them.

“Of course,” Branden calmly replied and continued to order. The tension of this smokeless war in the air briefly subsided.

Quickly, the dishes arrived.

It was the season for plump crabs. Branden ordered some, and when they were served, he picked up the first one and placed it in front of Catherine.

The next moment, Edson exclaimed in surprise, “Wait!”.

He then frowned, pointing at the crab in front of Catherine, questioning Branden, “Mr. Duncan, don’t you know Catherine is allergic to crabs? Why would you let her eat this?”

The air seemed to freeze in an instant, and the entire room fell silent.

Chapter 620 No Weaknesses

Edson looked proudly at the scene. Even though danger might be looming ahead, he had no regrets.

Witnessing Branden’s anger was not something an ordinary person could achieve. He provocatively looked straight at Branden. He was fully aware of what a man could not tolerate and was challenging Branden’s limits.

The situation reached a stalemate, and a fight was about to erupt.

Suddenly, Catherine, who had been silent on the side, picked up a crab, snapped off a leg, and casually brought it to her mouth.

Seeing her nonchalant demeanor, Edson was taken aback, exclaiming, ” Cassie…”

Catherine disdainfully glanced at him and retorted, her tone cold and sharp, ” Stay out of my business if you don’t understand me. Shut up and mind your meal.”

She casually placed a crab on Branden’s plate in front of him. “Crack open it for me.”

Branden said nothing, gladly taking the crab and expertly extracting the meat. Edson, puzzled and angered, questioned Branden. “She’s allergic, and you’re cracking open it for her?”

Without Catherine explaining, Branden raised his eyes and stared at Edson coldly. “You think what you know would be true?”

Who was Catherine? She had undergone countless hours of training. Branden used to train with her on the same island. Even though many things were unknown to others, Branden knew them very well.

People like them couldn’t afford to have vulnerabilities. If the enemy knew, it would be the most dangerous thing.

He was in the same category as Catherine. If he had such a weakness, he would either guard the secret tightly or eliminate the weakness entirely. He was sure Catherine felt the same way. If anyone knew about this weakness, Catherine would make that person disappear for good.

Branden’s hands moved swiftly, and the sharp knife expertly navigated the crab.

Soon, the crab meat was perfectly separated. He placed the dish full of crab meat in front of Catherine, drizzling it with the restaurant’s special sauce.

The aroma of crab wafted, and Catherine scooped a spoonful into her mouth. “Not bad!” She gave a casual comment.

Branden’s lips curled up slightly when he saw her enjoyment, his eyes revealing affection. “Have more if you like it.”

Edson, observing Catherine’s actions, realized Branden wasn’t lying.

Their deliberate display of affection further fueled his anger. He squinted his eyes, unable to conceal his frustration, and glowered at Catherine. “You lied to me?”

Catherine coldly chuckled, lifting her gaze to Edson with a scornful look. ” You just don’t understand me.”

The simple sentence was like a massive slap in Edson’s face. Catherine was right; it wasn’t her problem, but Edson simply didn’t understand her.

Once, she did have a slight allergy to crabs. Eating crab roe would make her itch all over, extremely uncomfortable. But when she discovered this weakness, she locked herself in her room and crazily consumed crab roe.

A person like her couldn’t afford to have weaknesses. After enduring for three days and nights, she forcibly got through it. With Thomas’s treatment, as long as she didn’t eat large amounts of crab roe, her body wouldn’t react.

Edson didn’t understand her, but Branden did. She absolutely couldn’t allow others to know her weakness. If Edson knew, then that weakness would cease to exist.

Observing the dumbfounded and unpleasant Edson, Branden chuckled lightly. “Mr. Edson, the crab tastes good today. Would you like some more?

“Hmph!” Edson threw down the napkin and angrily left. If he stayed any longer, he would only become a laughingstock.

As Edson left, Branden glanced at Paxton.

Paxton had long been holding back his anger. “How dare this red-haired guy challenge Mr. Duncan? Does he think the Duncans are that easy to bully?” he thought. He nodded silently and followed suit.

Catherine saw this scene but remained silent. Edson had nothing to do with her. He overestimated himself and sought his own demise. Catherine couldn’t be bothered with him.

Edson, fuming, left the restaurant and headed to the VIP parking lot on the basement second floor. His departure today was unexpected, a last-minute invitation from Branden. So, he only brought one driver with him.

The driver was waiting for him in the underground parking lot. Edson furiously descended and was ready to let off some steam.

His exclusive car was parked at the elevator entrance, and Edson saw it as soon as he came downstairs.

But to his surprise, the driver didn’t immediately notice him and didn’t get up to open the car door for him.

Anyone who could be his driver was exclusively trained and could not possibly make such a mistake. Edson paused, looking toward the driver’s seat. The driver was still there, seemingly asleep.

For others, this might seem inconsequential, but not for Edson. He immediately sensed something was wrong and prepared to go back upstairs.

But just as he turned around, everything went black in front of him. He was agile enough to try and dodge to the right, but the other party had seen what he was trying to do and moved a little faster than he did.

Edson’s head remained covered, and he was unable to discern anything. Then, a rain of fists descended, brutally pummeling him.

At first, Edson endured in silence and fought back. But those people were like crazy. Seeing that he didn’t say anything, they hit him even more fiercely.

As the beating intensified, Edson finally couldn’t hold on and shouted for help.

Unfortunately, this was a top-notch VIP parking lot, usually deserted. Now, there was no one to hear Edson’s cries.

No matter how desperate Edson’s pleas were, no one came to his rescue. In the end, Edson was beaten to the ground, completely unconscious, and only then did the attackers stop.

Once Edson collapsed, Paxton, the one leading the assault, slowly walked out. He raised his foot and kicked Edson a couple of times.

Then, he instructed his subordinates, Strip him naked and tie him up. Then take him to Whispering Joy Street.”

“Okay!” The subordinates did not dare to hesitate and immediately followed orders.

Whispering Joy Street was a place hidden in the depths of Loxton, a red- light district for those without means.

The women there were far from glamorous, and anyone with some capital wouldn’t come here. Since Edson was such a libertine, then this was a good place for him.

Watching Edson being dragged away, Paxton took the cigarette from between his lips and ruthlessly extinguished it in the nearby ashtray.

He said inwardly, “Don’t blame us for being too ruthless if you’ve got the nerve to disrespect Mr. Duncan.”