Ch. 651..660

Chapter 651 Made a Comeback

Edson lay on the hospital bed. Originally, he was just slightly injured, but he fainted after receiving the phone call.

The assistant panicked and, with the help of a doctor, woke Edson up. The first thing Edson asked when he woke up was about the situation of the Duncan Corporation.

“Was that phone call just a dream?” Edson asked.

The assistant shook his head awkwardly and said, “Boss, the Duncan Corporation’s stock price did rise. The funds they got not only saved the group from the crisis but also caused the stock price to soar!”

Edson had been confident that he would ultimately defeat Branden and the Duncan Corporation. However, he did not expect such news at the critical moment, and now it was his turn to collapse. Even after confirmation from the assistant again, he still found the result hard to believe.

“What on earth is going on? How could the Duncan Corporation suddenly get funds?” He had cut off the support of the Lamberts and the Lanes, so how did Branden get help?

The assistant immediately reported the latest intelligence to Edson. “Boss, it’s the Skyline Fund.”.

“The Skyline Fund?” Edson was familiar with this world-leading fund company. Although this fund company was very rich, such a huge trade war could exhaust its entire capital. How could the Skyline Fund go all out to help the Duncan Corporation? Those shareholders were not idiots. Who would be willing to take such a significant risk?

“This is impossible!” Edson said firmly.

Seeing that Edson did not believe it, the assistant quickly explained the situation to him. “Boss, we just found out that the largest shareholder behind the Skyline Fund is Branden Duncan!”

“What?” Edson widened his eyes in disbelief and could not believe the news. He had thought that the Duncan Corporation was Branden’s biggest reliance, but he did not expect that Branden’s capital was higher than the Duncan Corporation’s.

“No wonder I lost,” Edson said to himself. He had thought he had the game in the bag, but he did not expect to lose so badly. Now, the Duncans’ stock price was still rising, and every percentage point the stock index increased by meant that the Breens would lose 100 million dollars.

Watching the constantly rising data, he felt a surge of fury in his chest. Finally, he vomited blood and fainted again.

Catherine was taking a nap, and if it weren’t for the sudden ringing of the phone next to her, she could have slept a little longer. Seeing that the incoming call was from Ronin, she answered the phone calmly. As soon as she picked up, she heard Ronin’s urgent voice from the other end. “We won, Catherine! We won!”

“What do you mean by ‘we won’?” Catherine responded with a hoarse voice, showing she was running out of patience.

Hearing Catherine’s tone, Ronin realized that he might have disturbed her rest, causing him to break out in a cold sweat. “I’m sorry, Catherine. I didn’t expect you to be resting. I just received news that the Duncan Corporation’s stock price is continuously rising, so I immediately contacted you!”

Catherine finally understood what Ronin meant. It turned out that Branden had won. In fact, she was not surprised that Branden would win the battle against Edson. Edson was formidable, but in front of Branden, Edson had no chance of winning unless Shane personally intervened.

“Is that all?”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, and Catherine was about to hang up when she heard Ronin’s voice again. “Catherine, I just received intelligence that Shane is coming to Eskana next week!”

“Humph!” Catherine coldly snorted. ” Edson has made such a big mess this time. Of course, he should come!”

“Catherine, should we make preparations in advance?” Ronin asked in an anxious tone.

Catherine coldly responded, “No need!”

After hanging up the phone, Catherine got up and was about to have a drink of water. The door next to her opened before she could pick up the glass. She looked up and saw Branden, who had just returned, and their eyes met.

Branden had a calm expression, and there was no trace of emotion on his face. “Want to have lunch?” His familiar tone sounded as if they had been an old couple for many years.

Catherine had just gotten up and hadn’t even had lunch yet. Upon hearing his proposal, she casually nodded and ordered a few dishes.

Branden took off his coat and was about to tidy up the kitchen when the phone placed at the entrance suddenly rang. He turned back to answer the phone, and the voice of Triston came through the receiver, exclaiming, “Mr. Duncan, where are you? Let’s have lunch together!”

Branden frowned and coldly uttered two words. “No time!”

Right before Branden hung up the phone, Triston seemed to have read his mind and immediately shouted anxiously, “Don’t hang up! I haven’t finished yet. There’s something I want to discuss with you. I’ve already reserved a table!”

“Since when did you have to make reservations for a meal, Triston?”

Branden murmured inwardly. “Who do you think you’re fooling?” Not in the mood to talk to Triston anymore, he was about to hang up when Catherine casually said, “We can go out to eat.”

Branden immediately looked at her seriously. “Do you want to go out to eat?

Catherine didn’t respond, but her actions answered the question.

Branden raised the phone and gave Triston an order. “Send me the address.

Half an hour later, Branden arrived at Golden Spoon with Catherine. Upon entering the private room, they found Aidan and Triston already there. Branden pulled a chair for Catherine and waited for her to sit before taking his seat.

The table was already filled with dishes, as Branden had informed Triston to order food before his arrival.

Knowing Branden was now wholly devoted to Catherine, Triston didn’t dare to disturb him. He waited for a long time before Catherine picked up her fork and started eating. Then he asked Branden, “Mr. Duncan, what happened between you and the Breens?

Branden elegantly peeled shrimp for Catherine and casually responded to Triston, “Can’t you figure it out for yourself?”

It was already widely known that the Duncan Corporation had made a comeback. Triston naturally knew that Branden had won, but the battle had been too mysterious, and he couldn’t quite understand it.

If Branden had been so confident from the start, why did he have to borrow money from Triston and Aidan, making them busy and worried that their families would drag the Duncan Corporation down?

These past few days, Triston and Aidan had been so troubled that they couldn’t sleep well, and the result had shocked them to the core.

Getting no response from Branden, Triston had no choice but to ask again. ” Mr. Duncan, since you have controlled the super-rich Skyline Fund, why did you need to borrow money from us?”

Chapter 652 Her Smile

The crisis had almost come to an end, but Triston and Aidan still didn’t understand what was going on, which made Catherine shake her head helplessly.

At first, Catherine didn’t understand either. She knew better than anyone else how strong Branden’s capital was. He didn’t need any financial support. Even though the Duncan Corporation’s capital was restricted, Branden had the powerful Skyline Fund behind him, so there was no need for him to borrow money from others.

That was why when Branden asked for a loan jokingly, she refused at once. She knew he didn’t actually need it.

Catherine raised her eyes slightly, casting a cold glance at Triston and Aidan, her icy tone carrying an unmistakable disdain. “This is a good opportunity for you to teach those parasites a lesson.”

Upon hearing this, Triston was momentarily stunned. He then exchanged a glance with Aidan. Although they had their own thoughts, they both understood what Catherine meant.

Triston secretly congratulated himself for agreeing without hesitation to Branden’s request. Branden wasn’t actually borrowing money from him or Aidan; he was giving them an opportunity. If it weren’t for this incident, they wouldn’t have known how deeply external forces had infiltrated their company. If the Breens had targeted them instead of the Duncan Corporation, their companies would have changed hands in no time. It was precisely because of their help to Branden that Edson, in order to prevent them from accessing the funds, exposed the hidden dangers hiding in their company.

Now, dealing with these parasites would be much easier. Therefore, strictly speaking, it wasn’t them helping Branden, but Branden helping them.

Triston and Aidan soon understood Catherine’s words, making them increasingly admire Branden.

Triston asked the waiter to serve more dishes, saying he wanted to thank Branden properly, but he knew he didn’t do anything to prove their real friendship.

Triston teased Aidan for being stingy, saying that Aidan only ordered a few more dishes after Branden did him such a big favor. Amid the banter, the atmosphere in the private room became quite lively.

Catherine leaned back in her chair, watching everyone’s happy faces. The smile on her face showed that she was in a good mood. As she watched everyone laugh, she didn’t know that Branden’s eyes were only on her. Her smile was like a spring flowing into the depths of his heart, nourishing his soul.

Edson woke up again in his hospital bed. The moment he saw the person standing beside the bed, his eyes widened in surprise. “Uncle Shane!” he exclaimed.

Shane sat by his side, leaning on a cane, his face etched with displeasure. His deep, cold voice revealed his current state of mind was far from good. ”

Edson, I’m so disappointed in you!”

With just a few words, Edson’s face turned pale instantly. He frantically tried to explain, “Uncle Shane, Branden Duncan is just too cunning…”

Shane didn’t want to hear his excuses. To him, the business world was like a battlefield. Being cunning was an essential skill. Edson’s inability and foolishness were the only reason he failed.

Shane was now increasingly admiring the current heir of the Duncans. It seemed that he indeed needed to have a good talk with Branden, who could effortlessly outmaneuver his nephew.

Shane gave Edson one final glance before delivering the ultimate verdict. ” Starting tomorrow, you don’t need to go to the company any more!” Edson’s mistake this time was so significant that he would have to pay the price. Instead of killing him, he only kicked him out of the company, possibly giving him some leeway.

Chapter 653 Kidnapping

After dinner, Triston and Aidan consciously refrained from inviting Branden to have a drink. They both knew that he was now a devoted boyfriend.

Catherine had to go to school the next day, so when she finished her food, Branden left the private room with her. “Do you have class tomorrow morning? ” he asked.

Catherine shook her head.

Upon getting the answer, Branden told the driver, “To the apartment!” With no morning class tomorrow, Catherine could sleep in.

Recently, Catherine had been rushing to complete the experiment. Breaking through the final stage of research and development was not easy. Previously, even after working intensively for a month, she wouldn’t get tired. But after Branden started taking care of her, she seemed to feel drowsy easily after eating.

Seeing her eyelids drooping, Branden put his hand on her shoulder, gently pulling her into his arms. “Rest for a while. I’ll wake you when we arrive,” he said. Catherine nodded, adjusting herself to a comfortable position, and closed her eyes.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Paxton knew Catherine was resting and didn’t dare to speak. He sent the latest information to Branden on his phone, saying, [Boss, Shane just came out of the hospital!]

At 3 PM today, the stock price of the Duncan Corporation closed at 1243, an increase of nearly a thousand percentage points. This meant that the Breen Group, which had been competing with the Duncan Corporation, had lost over 100 billion dollars.

Besides the Breens’ capital, over half of the funds they lost were raised by Edson. Now, with such heavy losses, these people wouldn’t forgive Edson, let alone the Breens behind him. Edson had caused such a huge disaster this time, it was normal for Shane to come to clean up the mess immediately.

“Double the manpower at the school!” Branden ordered.

When Paxton heard his boss’s instructions, he hesitated for a moment. Branden had been making preparations for the Breens’ aggressive arrival. Shane’s personal visit to Eskana would definitely lead to a battle. At a time like this, they didn’t have enough manpower, but now they had to send their elites to protect Catherine in secret, which sure was a bold act.

After a moment, however, Paxton replied, “Yes, Boss.” He had always been by Branden’s side and understood Catherine’s importance to Branden. Only when Catherine was safe could Branden fully concentrate.

When Catherine arrived at the school in the afternoon, she received a message from Ronin reading, [Boss, help!]

Catherine frowned and immediately called back. After a few beeps, a voice came from the other end of the line, but it didn’t belong to Ronin.

“Ms. Swann, long time no see!”

Hearing the familiar voice, Catherine immediately understood what was going on. She smiled and responded softly, “I didn’t expect to see you. Where’s Ronin?”

The call abruptly ended, and shortly after, Catherine received a text message from the other party with an address.

Catherine called Amelia and asked her to help take a leave of absence. Once everything was arranged, Catherine went directly to the address she had received.

It wasn’t far, just near the school. Ten minutes later, Catherine saw the person who had been talking to her over Ronin’s phone.

It was the head butler of the Breens, Shane’s most trusted subordinate, Jay Hoffman. He had lived in the Breens for a lifetime.

Jay’s eyes lit up with joy the moment he saw Catherine, and he greeted her with a bright smile on his face, “Ms. Swann, you look great lately. It seems like you’ve been having a good time in Eskana!”

Catherine didn’t have time to chat with Jay. She only said coldly, “Where is he? Take him out.”

Jay naturally knew who she was referring to, but he was clearly unhappy with Catherine’s cold attitude, and his face immediately darkened.

“Ms. Swann, please rest assured. He is unharmed. We haven’t seen each other for so long. We should sit down and have a cup of coffee, shouldn’t we?”

The moment Jay finished speaking, Catherine frowned, and her icy voice echoed throughout the room. “It seems I’ve been away for too long, and you’ve forgotten my rules!” She never liked to say things twice. At this moment, however, Jay was blatantly defying her.

Jay’s face darkened, and his eyes showed a hint of nervousness. But what Catherine said next completely panicked him.

Her sharp eyes had a cold look, giving off a strong sense of oppression. ” Killing Shane might be a bit troublesome, but I can kill you easily, anytime, anywhere!”

Jay knew Catherine was not just talking. If she really wanted to kill him, he wouldn’t even have a chance to escape.

Jay hesitated. He knew how formidable Catherine was. But the task was given by his boss. If he couldn’t complete it, there would be no way to explain it to his boss.

Catherine noticed his hesitation and generously offered him a solution. ”

Tell your boss that I will go to meet him. But before that, give my person back to me!”

Upon hearing Catherine’s words, Jay breathed a sigh of relief. The purpose of kidnapping Ronin was to make Catherine appear, and now that she had agreed, Ronin was no longer important.

Jay glanced at his subordinate standing beside him, and the subordinate immediately stepped back. Not long after, Ronin was brought out.

When Ronin saw Catherine, he was very excited. He knew that she would come to rescue him. He had never doubted it from beginning to end. “Catherine!” he called out and quickly rushed to her side.

The bodyguards wanted to stop him but were stopped by Jay. They were no match for Catherine. Jay didn’t want to see any useless casualties.

Catherine glanced at Ronin beside her. ” Is everything ready?”

Ronin nodded. He knew what Catherine was concerned about. “Catherine, everything is on me. They didn’t give me a hard time!”

“Good.” Catherine nodded slightly and walked away, with Ronin following closely behind.

The bodyguards watched Catherine leave, feeling anxious. Their task today was to bring Catherine back, so they couldn’t just let her leave like that.

As the bodyguards were about to take action, Jay stopped them. “You are no match for her!”

They knew they were no match for Catherine, but they still intended to try to complete the task. Jay calmly said, ” Stop. I’ll take care of it.”

Upon hearing that Jay was willing to take responsibility, the bodyguards stopped their intention to take action. Jay knew that they couldn’t stop Catherine. He also knew that his boss was aware of this. Now that Catherine had agreed, he could report it to his boss, which was enough.

After leaving the estate, Ronin finally spoke up. “Catherine, did you negotiate any conditions with them?”

Ronin felt regretful. He had thought he was strong enough, but he was so vulnerable in front of the Breens. They knew him all too well, even better than he knew himself. They easily subdued him and made him a bargaining chip. If Catherine had really compromised on any conditions to save him, he would be ready to die.

Chapter 654 You Know Me the Best

Catherine cast a cold glance at Ronin next to her. “You should practice your combat skills more and stop daydreaming too much.”

The disdain in her tone was too obvious, leaving Ronin feeling somewhat embarrassed. He lowered his head and quietly assured her, ” Catherine, I see. I’ll practice diligently from now on.”

Ronin’s computer skills were second only to Catherine’s, but he was far behind in combat skills. To those unfamiliar with him, his youthful appearance might be deceiving.

Jay was very familiar with Ronin. He knew Ronin was smart and wouldn’t beat around the bush but would confront issues head-on. Therefore, he caught Ronin off guard and captured him without giving him a chance to escape.

After thinking for a while, Ronin felt he couldn’t let Jay get away with it so easily. “Catherine, I want to teach that sly dog a lesson. He’s too cunning!”

Catherine had no objections. She shrugged casually, showing an indifferent attitude.

As they reached a fork in the road, Catherine told Ronin, “I’m going to the lab,” and headed in that direction. She should have been in the classroom at that time, but Ronin’s incident disrupted her schedule. Returning to the classroom now would disrupt the ongoing class, so she decided to go to the laboratory.

When Catherine emerged from the laboratory, it was already 10 o’clock at night. As she walked out of the laboratory building, she saw Branden sitting on a bench not far away. His perfect profile was exceptionally handsome, leaving a lasting impression.

He had a laptop on his knees, and his fingers swiftly tapped the keyboard with a focused expression on his face, captivating everyone’s attention.

Catherine walked straight toward him. Sensing her approach, he looked up.

Their eyes met, and Catherine couldn’t help but smile. “Have you been waiting long?”

Branden closed the laptop, stood up, and smiled. “No, I just got here. I ran into Ronin just now, and he told me you were in the lab, so I came over,” he explained.

Branden had initially planned to have dinner with Catherine, but she went to the laboratory instead. Entering the laboratory wasn’t difficult, but he didn’t want to disturb her work, so he waited outside. He chose the bench closest to the laboratory door, ensuring she would see him as soon as she came out.

Catherine approached with documents in her arms, one hand in her pocket. She looked at him, asking, “Have you had dinner yet?”

“No, I was waiting for you!” Branden didn’t hide the fact that he had been waiting hungry, thinking that the other person should know.

Catherine chuckled and said with a wave of her hand, “Let’s have dinner together!”

“Okay!” Branden gently took the documents from her hand and pulled her other hand out of her pocket, holding it tightly in his palm.

The car stopped in an alley not far from the school gate. To adhere to Catherine’s low-key principle, Branden never drove the car onto the campus.

Branden opened the car door, and Catherine bent down to get in.

Although it was Catherine’s idea to have dinner, Branden was still the one cooking. Except for gatherings with friends, Catherine was increasingly reluctant to go out to eat. Of course, it was also because Branden’s cooking skills were getting better.

After they entered the house, Branden handed Catherine a plate of snacks. ” Play the game for a while, and then dinner will be ready!” At this late hour, he had no intention of cooking a full meal. He just wanted to make some macaroni to fill their stomachs.

Catherine didn’t follow his arrangement to play games on her cell phone. She held the plate of snacks and leaned against the kitchen door frame, watching Branden’s every move.

His movements were very skillful, and he was very familiar with the placement of items. It was clear that he was an experienced hand in the kitchen. Under his skillful knife work, the large pieces of beef were cut into evenly sized, equally thick strips.

When Branden looked up, he met Catherine’s eyes. Her beautiful eyes, shining like stars, gazed quietly at him. He chuckled. “What? Isn’t a focused man the most charming?”

Upon hearing this, Catherine looked away, picked up a peanut from the plate, and tossed it high, catching it effortlessly in her mouth. Her attitude clearly showed that she had no intention of paying attention to the man’s remarks.

Branden had originally wanted to tease her. Seeing her heartless look, however, he swallowed his words. She was his girl, and he couldn’t bear to do it.

The ingredients were ready, and it was time to start cooking. Before putting the food in the pan, Branden stopped and turned to look at Catherine beside him.

“The smoke is bad for your health. Wait outside!”

Catherine thought momentarily, finding it somewhat reasonable, and then stuffed a peanut into his mouth. ” Hurry up!”

“Okay!” he replied with a smile.

Catherine sauntered away, leaving the kitchen to Branden. Before long, he placed two steaming plates of beef macaroni on the table. The aroma filled the air, and without Branden having to urge her, she appeared at once and sat down at the dining table.

The special sauce, paired with chewy macaroni garnished with some greens, looked perfect. Just looking at the plate of macaroni made one hungry. Catherine took the fork handed to her by Branden and first tasted the sauce, unable to help but praise, “The taste is really good!”

With a look as cute as that of a hungry kitten, she was completely different from her usual cold and frosty demeanor. Branden found it amusing and couldn’t help teasing her, “It seems that the ancients were right. To capture someone’s heart, you have to capture their stomach. Miss Swann, does my cooking still suit your taste?”

Catherine was speechless. Lately, Branden’s way of speaking had become so unpredictable. If it weren’t for his handsome face, his words would have sounded as histrionic as Amelia’s.

Branden put down his fork and gazed at Catherine as if he wouldn’t give up until she answered. Catherine didn’t bother to conceal her perfunctory response and casually said, “Not bad. Not bad. It suits my taste!”

Satisfied with the response, Branden smiled. They chatted while eating, like a couple married for many years.

“I received news this afternoon that Edson has been sent back to Mistel!” Catherine’s movement of picking up the macaroni slowed for a moment. She wasn’t surprised by this outcome.

Shane hadn’t punished his nephew despite causing such big trouble, which showed his favoritism toward Edson.

“Good riddance. It’s better without him bothering us!” she commented.

Upon hearing Catherine’s disdain for Edson, Branden agreed, “Indeed, he was quite a bother!”

This brat actually dared to compete with him for Catherine by fawning over her, which was really annoying.

If Shane hadn’t taken action to send Edson away, Branden would have done it himself. But when Branden did it, Edson, this notorious playboy, might live in pain for the rest of his life.

After dinner, Catherine sat on the nearby recliner, continuing to look through the data she brought back from the laboratory. Branden heated some milk and placed it next to her, then casually sat beside her.

As soon as he sat down, his strong arms skillfully wrapped around Catherine’s slender waist, and he rested his head on her neck. Catherine paused momentarily and raised an eyebrow, asking, “Again? Aren’t you tired?”

Branden chuckled and pinned Catherine down, his deep eyes looking down at her. His voice was deep and seductive as he said, “You know me the best!”

Chapter 655 We Need a Heir

The next day, Catherine walked out of the school gate. A low-key black Bentley was parked not far away, with the head butler of the Breens, Jay, standing next to the car. It was clear who was sitting in the car.

Catherine didn’t avoid him and walked straight toward the car. Jay smiled and opened the door for her, and Catherine bent down to get in.

Shane had been waiting in the car, and when he saw Catherine, a rare smile appeared on his usually serious face. ” Cassie, long time no see!”

Catherine looked politely at him, her eyes filled with indifference. “Long time no see.”

Shane’s enthusiasm evidently did not fade due to Catherine’s coldness. “It’s been almost ten years since I last came to Loxton. You’ve been studying here, so you should be familiar with the city. How about taking me to lunch?”

Catherine did not refuse and then told the driver an address. Ten minutes later, the car stopped at the entrance of the Golden Spoon.

With her hands in her pockets, Catherine followed behind Shane and entered the private room. They didn’t notice that a few people were watching them curiously on the side.

“Isn’t this Catherine Swann from the electronic information engineering department?” The speaker was a student from Styre University, Isadora Wale.

Standing next to her was Emma Wale, who had been keeping a low profile since losing to Catherine in the National Literary and Art League. She had finally managed to get into Loxton and unexpectedly ran into Catherine. It really was a small world!

“Isadora, do you know her?” Emma asked.

Isadora said disdainfully, “She’s quite famous on campus. Everybody knows her.”

Catherine’s popularity at school was too high, and Isadora looked down on such people the most. She said sarcastically, “Why does she come to a place like this with an old man? And they’ve even chosen a private room! There must be something fishy going on. Look at that old man. He’s worth a fortune. Maybe she is that old man’s kept woman!”

Emma didn’t expect Catherine to be still so high-profile in a new school, and she felt a surge of anger. She and Isadora were cousins, but Isadora had grown up in Loxton with a much better family background than hers.

“Isadora, I think you’re absolutely right. It’s a shame your classmates are still in the dark, admiring her just for her looks!”

This hit Isadora right in the heart. The man she admired the most was Drake.

She had a crush on him for his outstanding performance in the gaming arena, thinking he had great charm. However, she recently found out that Drake was actually interested in Catherine. There was even a photo of Catherine on the table in their dorm.

When she heard about this, her hatred toward Catherine intensified.

“Emma, you’re right. We can’t let such a disgusting and despicable woman be so arrogant. We must expose her shameless behavior,” Isadora said to her cousin, Emma, her eyes filled with rage.

Watching the angry look on Isadora’s face, Emma felt quite satisfied. This time, she was going to ruin Catherine’s reputation.

In the private room, Catherine ate her food quietly. She had been to this restaurant several times with Branden, and the food was decent. Feeling her stomach full, she put down her fork.

Shane was still enjoying his meal, clearly satisfied with Catherine’s choice of venue.

“The Eskanese cuisine is truly remarkable. No wonder you refused to eat the food the chef made when you were in Euphosean,” Shane said.

Catherine had a taste for Eskanese cuisine, and the bread and steak lifestyle in Euphosean was bearable for her occasionally, but she couldn’t handle it every day.

After satisfying their hunger, Shane’s conversation turned to business. ” Cassie, I’m getting old. We need an heir, and I hope that person is you.” He knew Catherine’s capabilities better than anyone, and only she could be his proudest successor. In his opinion, Catherine was the one who could lead the Breens to a more powerful and glorious future.

He had known Catherine since she was 12 years old. At that young age, she was exceptionally thin and weak but had beautiful eyes. He initially thought Catherine was from a poor family in distress, but he didn’t expect that everything about her, from her clothes to her living expenses, was not cheap. Later, he was impressed by Catherine’s talent. He had never seen such a smart child.

Although Catherine was intelligent at that time, she was no match for Shane. He brought Catherine back to the family and trained her to become his top assistant. Unexpectedly, she left later on.

Catherine’s expression remained unchanged. Clearly, she had no interest in Shane’s offer. She looked coldly at him and said, “I’m not interested!”

Catherine never liked to repeat herself, and Shane knew her character well. Knowing that Catherine’s rejection was genuine disinterest, he felt regretful. However, he had no intention of giving up just yet. Since he had taken the initiative and she was unwilling to accept it, he planned to find a way to make her come to him on her own. Many years ago, he was able to make Catherine follow his orders, and he believed he could still do so now.

After finishing their meal, Catherine suggested leaving, and Shane did not refuse. As they got up to go, they were informed that Mr. Duncan had already paid the bill.

Shane raised an eyebrow and looked at Catherine with a meaningful smile. ” Cassie, it seems your boyfriend doesn’t trust you,” he said, implying that if he trusted her, why would he have someone keep an eye on her?

“Humph.” Catherine chuckled lightly, showing some disdain for Shane’s attempt to sow discord. She hadn’t expected that the usually high and mighty Shane would one day play such childish tricks.

Seeing her in such a good mood, Shane was a little confused. He carefully scrutinized her.

Soon, Catherine gave him the answer.” By the way, I forgot to tell you, my boyfriend knows I like the food here and has already bought this restaurant!

Catherine chose to come to this restaurant without hiding it from Branden. After their first visit, Branden immediately bought the restaurant, making it convenient for Catherine to dine here next time.

Almost all the waiters had been replaced, and their first rule at work was to recognize who Catherine, the boss of the restaurant, was. The moment Catherine appeared, the manager informed Branden.

Shane’s face immediately darkened, as he didn’t like this kind of joke. Clearly, he had become a laughingstock.

Before leaving, Catherine didn’t forget to taunt him. “It’s getting late. My boyfriend will worry about me, so I’ll be off!”

Shane was so angry that he didn’t even say goodbye to Catherine. Jay, who had been by his side for many years, hadn’t seen his boss lose face like this for a long time. He found it amusing. It seemed that only when Catherine was around did Shane seem more lively.

Chapter 656 The Post

Catherine returned from the laboratory at noon and saw Amelia and Isabella huddled in front of the computer, whispering to each other. When Amelia heard the sound, she turned and eagerly invited Catherine to join them.

“Catherine, did you know? An old man has kept a girl at our school, and the old man’s family has caused a scene at the school. The post is now on the school forum! The whistleblower hasn’t exposed the girl’s name yet. There’s only a photo of a car. The whistleblower says that if this girl doesn’t voluntarily drop out of school within 24 hours, all her information will be exposed!” Amelia said.

Catherine was not initially interested in this kind of gossip, but she couldn’t resist Amelia’s excitement and enthusiasm. Amelia was always so outgoing and friendly, making it hard for Catherine to refuse her.

“Catherine, take a look, please!” Amelia pleaded.

Catherine took a glance. When she saw the photo on the homepage, she narrowed her eyes, took the mouse from Amelia, and scrolled through it. Amelia thought Catherine was being polite by pretending to be reading the news.

“Catherine, if you don’t like it, just take a quick look. You don’t have to be so careful!” Amelia said.

Catherine looked away, put down the mouse, and lay on her bed.

Amelia didn’t mind. She knew that Catherine was always like this. Catherine was easy to get along with, but she didn’t talk much, probably because all geniuses were like that.

Isadora had been watching the post all day, and she was delighted to see the increasing number of comments and the rising popularity of the post. When she returned after lunch, she saw that the post had been deleted, and she immediately contacted the forum administrator.

When she found out that a hacker was responsible for the deletion, she didn’t get angry but instead showed a pleased expression. Only the person involved would care enough to go to great lengths to delete the post. Isadora was sure that the person who deleted the post was Catherine, who was feeling guilty and afraid of exposure.

Isadora was convinced that someone had kept Catherine because if Catherine hadn’t been a kept woman, she would have come out to clear things up instead of acting so sneaky. Isadora uploaded the photo and once again posted it on the forum, this time not hiding anything. She knew the post would quickly gain attention, and the person who deserved punishment would receive it.

After lunch, Ronin went to find Catherine. With his boyish appearance, he was very familiar with the dormitory manager. Usually, other boys couldn’t go upstairs, but he always had no trouble getting through, and the dormitory manager would even send him upstairs with a smile.

When he arrived at Catherine’s dorm, Ronin immediately handed the lattes to Isabella and Amelia, which instantly piqued their interest.

Amelia took the latte, a little surprised. “Ronin, why didn’t you give it to Catherine?” she asked.

Ronin only brought two lattes. He gave one to her and the other to Isabella, which meant Catherine couldn’t get it.

“It’s okay, Catherine doesn’t like latte. I brought her something else,” he said, raising the thermos in his hand, containing rose liqueur, which was Catherine’s favorite drink.

While the two were talking, Catherine happened to enter from the door. Ronin immediately turned around and warmly approached her. “Catherine!”

Amelia was not surprised by his behavior. She even felt a little sorry for Ronin’s future girlfriend. With his dependence on Catherine, even though it wasn’t a romantic relationship, most girls would probably not accept it.

When Catherine saw Ronin, her expression remained unchanged. She reached for the documents on the table, but Ronin’s hand was faster. ” Catherine, let me do it!”

Catherine didn’t stop him. “I’m going to the lab. Let’s chat as we walk!”

“Okay!” Ronin agreed and obediently followed behind Catherine as they walked downstairs.

“Catherine, did Shane say anything yesterday?” Ronin was most concerned about this. Shane’s arrival was intimidating and aggressive, and he was a bit afraid.

As they walked, Catherine replied, “We just had dinner.”

“Just dinner?” Ronin was surprised. Shane’s arrival was quite aggressive this time, mobilizing his forces and even resorting to kidnapping Ronin to threaten Catherine. But when the two met, they just had a meal, which was unbelievable.

Ronin pondered for a long time and still felt that something was wrong. ” Catherine, I think Shane must be plotting something!” he said with certainty.

It was very likely that Shane was plotting something, but Ronin wasn’t one hundred percent sure about it. Seeing that Ronin still didn’t understand, Catherine explained the situation to him.

“Edson has caused such a mess this time, so the most important thing for Shane’s visit to Eskana is to clean it up. He will cause trouble for me. That’s for sure. But it won’t be now. He’ll make a move when he’s done dealing with it!”

But when Shane would be done dealing with it remained to be seen. If Branden could set a trap for Edson, then he could certainly set a trap for Shane. This was Eskana, and if Shane wanted to cause trouble for Catherine, Branden would intervene.

Ronin listened to Catherine’s words and felt a little more relaxed. “That’s good. Then we’ll have more time to prepare!”

Ronin’s phone, which he had in his pocket, had been vibrating constantly. Seeing that Catherine wasn’t saying anything, he took out his phone to check. It was a series of WhatsApp messages from his roommate.

[Ronin, hurry up and go to the forum!]

[Catherine is in trouble!]

Ronin frowned as he read the messages. He immediately switched pages and logged onto the school forum. As soon as he got there, he saw a trending post at the top.

The eye-catching headline and thousands of comments made Ronin frown and click on it. When he saw the photo in the post, he exploded with rage. After reading the content, he couldn’t help but curse, “Damn it! Catherine, someone is slandering you, saying you’re being kept!”

Ronin quickly handed the phone to Catherine, who took a look. The person who had exposed the photo in the previous post had done it again, and the content was even more explosive. This time, Catherine’s name was directly exposed, along with her personal information.

As for the photo, it was a picture of Catherine and Shane dining at a restaurant, taken from behind. There was also a picture taken at the school gate, showing Catherine getting into a Bentley car.

Although the two didn’t have any intimate gestures and even maintained a distance of two steps while walking, the exaggerated descriptions by the person who exposed them made their relationship seem unusual.

After Ronin finished reading, he was so angry he felt like he was about to have a heart attack. He could tell at a glance that the old man was Shane. “How could anyone suspect that Catherine is being kept by Shane?” he asked inwardly. “Is this guy out of his goddamn mind?”

Catherine handed the phone back to Ronin, calmly saying, “Check the ID address and see who posted it.”

“Okay!” Ronin promised that if he found the troublemaker behind the scenes, he would definitely not let them off lightly. He wanted to beat them up!

Chapter 657 A Joint Boycott

Although the other party had been very discreet, even choosing a public place like the school’s computer room to post, Ronin effortlessly captured the IP address.

Not only that, Ronin also hacked into the school’s surveillance system, directly pulling up the footage of the computer room and making a copy of the video of the person posting.

“Catherine, I found the person. Her name is Isadora Wale!”

Catherine took a look at the video handed to her by Ronin. The girl in the video was young, beautiful, stylishly dressed, and wearing internationally renowned designer clothes.

“Do I know her?” Catherine handed Ronin’s phone back to him.

Ronin looked bewildered and then shook his head. “I don’t think so!”

After all, Catherine had an extraordinary memory. Even if she had only seen someone once, she would remember them. So, if Catherine said she didn’t know the girl, then Catherine definitely hadn’t seen her before.

This made Ronin feel strange. If there were a grudge, it would make sense that she was defaming Catherine. But if she and Catherine didn’t even know each other, why would she do this to Catherine?

The post’s popularity continued to escalate, and Ronin felt increasingly anxious as he watched more and more people comment. He couldn’t bear to see anyone speak ill of Catherine. After all, she was such a nice person.

“Catherine, should I delete the post now?” he asked.

Catherine signaled him to pause and calmly said, “No rush. Go and find out what Isadora really wants to do.”

“Okay,” Ronin responded. Then, he saw Catherine pick up the documents and head out.

“Catherine, where are you going?”

Catherine didn’t even look back as she said, “To the lab!”

At this point, Ronin truly admired Catherine. Even though she was at the center of the turbulence, she remained so composed. He was so anxious, but she didn’t seem to worry about anything at all.

Having become accustomed to her ways, Ronin knew that guessing was useless. All he could do now was to quickly find out who Isadora really was and what her purpose was in defaming Catherine. Once he had figured them out, he would teach Isadora a lesson.

The popularity of the post continued to escalate.

Upon receiving the news, Paxton rushed into the conference hall. He knew very well that Catherine’s situation was the most important matter to Branden.

When Branden saw him enter, he said to the executives, “Take a break!” Then, everyone respectfully stood up and left the conference hall.

After they left, Paxton respectfully approached Branden to report the situation. “Boss, someone is defaming Miss Swann at Styre University!”

Branden’s deep eyes immediately darkened, emitting a terrifying aura. ” What happened?!”

Paxton carefully presented the post to Branden. “Boss, take a look at this.”

While Branden was reading the post, Paxton quickly reported the information they had found out. His team didn’t dare to delay in handling matters related to Catherine. Immediately after the incident, they began investigating the background of the person posting and managed to identify several suspects.

“The person who made the post has been identified. It’s Isadora Wale from the Wale Corporation!” Paxton not only found the person who made the post but also located her position at Golden Spoon. He pulled up the surveillance footage from Golden Spoon and showed it to Branden.

“Boss, Isadora also has a cousin named Emma Wale. At the National Literary and Art League in Oceanvile, she was once the top contender for the championship but lost to Miss Swann!”

“Where is she?” Branden asked.

Judging from Branden’s gentle tone, Paxton inferred that his boss was asking about Catherine.

“Miss Swann is currently in the lab. It seems she has asked Ronin to investigate this matter,” Paxton responded.

Branden, knowing that Catherine was unaffected, felt slightly relaxed. “Send the information to Ronin. Have someone to keep an eye on it, but don’t disturb Catherine!”

Catherine had been holed up in the lab recently. Branden didn’t want to bother her with such trivial matters.

“Yes, I understand,” Paxton replied, taking the order and immediately setting off to make the arrangements.

The popularity of the “exposé post” was unprecedentedly high, with people all talking about and condemning Catherine. Isadora was delighted to see all of this and shared it with Emma.

“Emma, look. She brings it upon herself!”

Emma was also in a very good mood. Since the last time, she had been unable to shake off the shadow Catherine had cast over her. This time, she felt like she had finally gotten her revenge. However, she didn’t plan to stop there. Just a few insults were not enough to teach Catherine a lesson.

“Isadora, I think you can organize a joint boycott. How can someone like Catherine be worthy of being at your school?”

Isadora was currently in high spirits, reveling in the joy of tarnishing Catherine’s reputation. She found Emma’s proposal very appealing and felt it made much sense.

“Emma, you’re right. We should definitely kick people like her out of the school!” After discussing with Emma, Isadora decided to put the plan into action. As for Catherine, she was completely immersed in the laboratory and had no idea that she was being talked about outside.

The seniors inside the laboratory had heard the rumors, but those selected to enter Marshall’s laboratory were all elites, and they didn’t like gossip. Moreover, they didn’t believe it was true. After all, Catherine was immersed in experiments every day, so why would she have the time to be with an old man? Besides, with Catherine’s current achievements, she didn’t need an old man to keep her. Publishing more papers would easily bring in substantial bonuses. There was no need to go out of her way to be with an old man. After all, no matter how good he was, an old man wasn’t as reliable as herself.

Inside the laboratory, everything seemed calm, but outside, people were gossiping like crazy. Catherine could ignore it, but her friends couldn’t accept her being defamed.

Amelia was furious after seeing the post. She tried to request the forum moderator to delete the post, but the moderator ignored her. She could only join Isabella in fighting against those slandering Catherine, trying to prove her innocence. Both of them had seen Catherine’s boyfriend, who was handsome and wealthy. Only a fool would give up such a great boyfriend to be with some old man. Unfortunately, they were outnumbered, and their efforts to fight back were particularly feeble.

Amelia was so angry that she couldn’t eat, and Isabella took her downstairs for a walk. Unexpectedly, they ran into a joint boycott against Catherine, demanding her expulsion from the school. Even worse, the event was organized by the Student Union.

Amelia was furious when she saw it. Despite Isabella’s attempts to stop her, she rushed over, tore down the banner, and threw it on the ground. “You guys know nothing about the situation, yet you’re causing a ruckus. Believe it or not. I’ll sue you!”

Chapter 658 Injured

Faced with the aggressive Amelia, everyone else was taken aback. Isadora, who had been standing at the back, immediately rushed forward upon hearing the commotion.

“You’re not Catherine Swann, so why bother yelling at us?” Isadora scrutinized Amelia from head to toe and then sneered. “Or maybe you’re just like her, being kept by someone. You can’t stand her being exposed because you’re afraid your own scandal will be revealed, too?”

Amelia hadn’t expected the other party to twist the truth like this, leaving her speechless with anger. “You’re talking nonsense!”

“Humph!” Isadora crossed her arms and said with a triumphant smile on her face, “You do know if it’s nonsense or not!”

As the surrounding people saw Amelia being silent, they stood up for Isadora.

“Exactly. If she wasn’t guilty, why would she be so agitated?”

“I know her. She’s Catherine’s roommate, probably cut from the same cloth!”

“She doesn’t seem like a well-behaved person. Who knows what she’s hiding behind closed doors!”

Standing high and mighty, the crowd seemed to look down on Amelia, accusing her.

Undeterred, Amelia took out her phone and took clear pictures of everyone’s faces. “Remember what you’ve said. When Catherine clears her name, you’ll all be guilty of defamation. Will you still have the audacity to accuse others, then? Are you the parties involved? Do you know what happened? Have you seen anything with your own eyes?”

A series of questions left the people speechless. They looked at Amelia, not knowing what to say.

Seeing their confidence wane, Amelia seized the opportunity to strike back. ” You slander others without even knowing what was going on. What makes you think you have the right to do that?”

The people who had accused Amelia earlier were now hesitant, realizing they had no concrete evidence. If Catherine were to pursue legal action against them, they might indeed face a lawsuit. If they were sued, their academic pursuits would likely be affected.

These people hesitated, but Isadora did not. She forcefully pushed Amelia, sending her tumbling to the ground, and then looked down at Amelia with an air of dominance. “Sue me? Who the hell do you think you are?”

Although Amelia wasn’t from a wealthy, top-tier family, she had never suffered such humiliation. Anger surged through her, and she stood up to push back. “How dare you push me?”

Showing no restraint, Isadora slapped Amelia in the face and arrogantly shouted, “For this!”

Amelia was momentarily stunned. Then, she quickly retaliated, grappling with Isadora.

Isadora had practiced taekwondo for self-defense since she was young. Although Amelia was tall, she was no match for Isadora.

Upon discovering that Amelia was Catherine’s roommate, Isadora was determined to teach her a lesson. She imagined Amelia as Catherine, and without hesitation, she threw Amelia over her shoulder, causing Amelia to fall heavily to the ground. Upon landing, Amelia hit her head on the corner of a desk, causing blood to flow immediately.

The others were shocked, but Isadora remained indifferent. To her, provoking her meant facing severe consequences.

Isabella, who was watching, was also taken aback. She hadn’t expected that before she could intervene, Amelia was already on the ground, bleeding. After realizing what happened, Isabella immediately rushed forward to help Amelia and shouted at the dumbfounded male students standing nearby, “What are you guys standing there for? Come and help me take her to the hospital!”

Several people rushed forward to assist Isabella in taking Amelia to the hospital.

Catherine returned from the laboratory only to find the dormitory empty. She furrowed her brow, as usually, at this time, both Amelia and Isabella would be watching a variety show in the dorm. Today, however, they were all absent.

Catherine was puzzled but didn’t think much of it. Just as she was about to enter the dorm, a female student passing by from the next room looked surprised to see her.

“Catherine, why are you still here?”

Confused, Catherine glanced at her, not entirely understanding the meaning behind her words. Seeing that Catherine seemed unaware of the situation, the girl immediately explained, “Amelia was injured and taken to the hospital by Isabella…” She paused for a moment before continuing with an embarrassed look on her face, ” I heard it’s related to you.”

Though the girl’s words were ambiguous, Catherine immediately understood what was happening.

“Thank you,” Catherine said politely before closing the dorm door and leaving.

The girl commented to her roommate, I think Catherine is quite polite. She’s usually quiet and aloof, unlike what the post says!” 11

Now, not only did the whole school know about the incident, but even students from other schools were hearing rumors and gossip.

Catherine came out of the dormitory and went straight to the school’s medical office. The medical office at Styre University was like a small hospital, equipped with all the necessary facilities donated by previous outstanding students. The doctors there were as skilled as those in top- tier hospitals. No matter the illness, the school’s medical office could handle it.

When Catherine arrived at the medical office, Isabella was waiting outside the examination room.

“How is she?”

Catherine’s cold voice brought Isabella’s attention back. Isabella immediately turned around and saw Catherine, tears welling up in her eyes. It was the first time Isabella had encountered such a situation, and she was utterly bewildered.

“Amelia is still inside. The doctor suspects a certain degree of concussion, but we don’t know the extent of the injury yet. They need to take scans to confirm,” Isabella said before the examination room’s door opened.

Amelia was lying on a mobile bed, being wheeled out of the room. The first look she gave Catherine was not reproachful but rather filled with anger. “Catherine, you better teach me how to fight. I’ll take back my dignity one day!” she said, breaking the solemn atmosphere with her words.

Isabella couldn’t help but burst into laughter, glaring at Amelia with disdain. “You’ve got a head injury. Are you still in the mood for jokes?”

Upon mentioning the wound on the back of her head, Amelia became anxious. “Yeah, exactly! It’s a big cut. I hope it won’t scar. Scars are so ugly!”

The doctor standing nearby found the patient’s behavior endearing. He couldn’t help but interject, “Don’t worry. It’s at the back of the head. Even if it scars, it won’t be visible once your hair grows back.”

Just as he finished speaking, Catherine, with a solemn expression, assured, ” Don’t worry. There won’t be any scars. I’ll get Professor Keane to handle it!”

The doctor looked at Catherine with surprise, clearly not fully believing her words. Professor Fletcher Keane was renowned in their department for his expertise in cosmetic surgery, and any wounds he handled were guaranteed not to leave scars. However, Fletcher had a peculiar temper. Even the university president found it difficult to ask him for help.

“This student is a bit too confident, isn’t she?” the doctor said inwardly.

Chapter 659 To Isadora’s Dorm Room

Ten minutes later, Fletcher appeared in a rush as the doctor was preparing to advise Amelia not to wait for Catherine so that he could stitch the wound directly. His hair, now gray and tousled, flew in the wind as he ran, indicating the urgency of his arrival.

The sight of Fletcher, usually calm and composed, in such haste, shocked everyone.

Once inside, Fletcher looked around and finally spotted Catherine in a distant corner. He hurried over, and his stern face broke into a smile. “Miss Swann!” he exclaimed.

Catherine turned around and greeted him politely. “Hello, Professor Keane.”

Fletcher immediately waved off her formality. “Don’t call me that. My teacher called and told me you needed help, and I rushed over. My car broke down on the way and delayed me a bit. Hope it didn’t delay you!”

Unlike the other professors, Fletcher was known for riding a bicycle around the campus. No one expected his bicycle to fail him at such a crucial moment. Now, he was anxious, fearing he might have delayed Catherine’s matter. If he did, his teacher would be furious.

“It didn’t delay me. Could you help me with a wound?” Catherine asked, leading Fletcher to Amelia, who was thrilled that Catherine had managed to bring such a renowned doctor.

Pointing to the wound on the back of Amelia’s head, Catherine asked, ” Professor Keane, can you guarantee that this wound won’t scar?”

Fletcher glanced at the wound and immediately turned to the attending doctor with a stern expression. “You can’t even handle this?”

The doctor looked embarrassed. ” Professor Keane, I’m not at your level!”

The attending doctor, also a student of Fletcher, was stunned to see his teacher’s hurried arrival.

Concerned for Catherine’s friend, Fletcher didn’t waste any time, reprimanding his student, “Watch closely. Don’t tarnish my reputation again!”

With Fletcher’s assurance, Catherine handed over the scene to Isabella. ” Please stay with Amelia,” she requested.

Catherine’s eyes were cold, which made Isabella a bit worried. “Catherine, be careful,” she said.

Catherine nodded slightly, pulled down her cap, and walked out. As soon as she stepped outside, she bumped into Branden, who stopped in his tracks when he saw her. “Are you okay?” he asked.

Catherine shook her head. “It’s Amelia who’s in trouble.”

Upon receiving the news, Branden rushed over, followed by Paxton and Ronin.

Ronin immediately approached Catherine, asking, “Catherine, how’s Amelia?”

With a stern face, Catherine said, “You stay here and take care of Amelia.”

Ronin had heard about Amelia getting injured for Catherine and being taken to the hospital. Catherine owed a big favor to Amelia, and now it was time to repay it. “Catherine, don’t worry. I’ll make sure she’s well taken care of,” he assured. “By the way, Isadora is Emma’s cousin. They are birds of a feather,” he added.

Hearing this, Catherine finally understood the origin of the grudge.

After Ronin finished speaking, Paxton, who was standing behind Branden, immediately provided new information. “Emma Wale is currently staying at the Wales’ residence in Loxton, which is Isadora’s home!”

“Isadora is in the dorms!” Ronin added.

They didn’t rush over immediately because they had already found out the whereabouts of the two women in this short period.

After learning about the two women’s situation, Catherine left, and Branden immediately followed.

The car stopped at the entrance of the female students’ dormitory. It was the first time Branden’s car had entered the residential area of this university.

“Wait for me in the car!” Catherine said. The female students’ dormitory wasn’t suitable for both of them to go up.

Paxton watched Catherine’s determined departure and then glanced back at Branden.

Branden calmly said, “No worries. She’s Catherine.”

Indeed, she was Catherine, the devilish instructor with extraordinary combat skills. Even two men as skilled as Paxton wouldn’t stand a chance against her, let alone Isadora.

Thinking about this, Paxton calmed down. He shouldn’t have doubted Catherine. He should pray for Isadora.

Provoking Catherine was like messing with a demon.

Bang!

The noisy dormitory was suddenly interrupted by a loud noise, causing everyone to immediately stop what they were doing and look in the direction of the sound.

Isadora was engrossed in watching a variety show when the loud bang startled her. Irritated, she turned around and cursed, “Who the heck is it? What’s the big idea, making such a ruckus for no reason!”

As Isadora turned around, she was met with Catherine’s cold and fierce gaze, which startled her, causing her to choke on her saliva and cough violently. After catching her breath, Isadora arrogantly started berating Catherine, “What are you doing in our dorm? Not content with making a fool of yourself, do you want to let everyone know?”

Catherine believed she had been maintaining a good temper since she came here. However, some people always seemed to enjoy challenging her limits, and she didn’t mind teaching them a lesson.

Catherine took two steps forward and stood below Isadora’s bed. The other students were intimidated by Catherine’s imposing presence and moved aside.

Isadora was usually very arrogant in the dorm, relying on her family background to look down on everyone. Now that someone was picking a fight with her, they wouldn’t sacrifice themselves for someone like Isadora!

As Catherine drew closer, Isadora’s anxiety grew. She nervously spoke, her voice trembling. “What do you want?”

Without saying a word, Catherine reached out and grabbed Isadora’s collar. Then, with a strong pull, she yanked Isadora down from the top bunk and threw her to the ground.

The onlookers were stunned. Catherine’s strength was so astonishing that their mouths hung open in disbelief. Isadora being thrown to the ground was reminiscent of how she had thrown Amelia over her shoulder. Back then, Isadora had used her entire body’s strength to execute the move on Amelia. On the other hand, Catherine effortlessly threw Isadora to the ground with just one hand.

Before Isadora came to her senses, Catherine lifted her with one hand and dragged her out of the dormitory, leaving Isadora’s classmates in shock and at a loss for what to do.

They all had a hunch that Isadora had definitely crossed someone she shouldn’t have this time.

Chapter 660 Punishment

Isadora was dragged into a car by Catherine and taken to the Wales, bound and gagged. The servants were stunned when they saw Isadora taken to the front door in a disheveled state.

“Open the door!” Catherinė snorted coldly. The servants obediently opened the door, intimidated by her imposing demeanor and the fact that she had Isadora in her grasp.

Catherine dragged Isadora into the house and threw her into the living room. The commotion drew the attention of the Wales, who immediately rushed downstairs. When they saw Isadora gagged and bound on the floor, they were shocked.

Ruth Wale rushed forward, trying to help Isadora. However, Catherine kicked Isadora in front of everyone, causing Isadora to grimace in pain with no chance even to cry out.

Enraged, Ruth shouted at Catherine, ” Who are you? How dare you beat my daughter! I’ll make sure you pay for this!”

Emma, who had just come down from upstairs, recognized Catherine and was furious to see her cousin being brought to the Wales in such a manner.

“Catherine, you are too audacious. This is the Wales’ residence. How dare you treat my cousin this way? Do you have any respect for our family?”

Seeing his daughter humiliated, the head of the Wales, Elton, ordered the servants, “Beat this woman up!”

However, a cold and deep voice interrupted them before they could do anything.

“Mr. Wale, that’s quite a bold statement.”

Elton looked up and was surprised to see the unexpected visitor. He hurriedly came down the stairs to meet Branden.

“Mr. Duncan, what brings you here?”

Branden glanced at him and then walked over to Catherine, wrapping his arm around her shoulder in a supportive gesture. “I’ve got this.”

With those three words, Branden gave Catherine the greatest authority. She had his backing no matter what she did tonight, including destroying the Wales.

Elton was considered a successful businessman in Loxton. Sensing something amiss, he approached Branden, asking, “Mr. Duncan, Isadora is my daughter. I would like to know exactly what she did wrong to deserve this treatment from you?”

Catherine glanced disdainfully at Elton and sarcastically remarked, “She’s your daughter. Go ask her.”

Elton, facing Catherine’s tough attitude and Branden’s support, felt powerless despite his urge to explode in anger. To uncover the truth, he had no choice but to approach his daughter, Isadora. “What’s going on? Tell me, and I’ll handle it!” he demanded.

As Elton approached to release Isadora, Paxton shot him a stern look, stopping Elton in his tracks. Paxton took matters into his own hards, removing the cloth gag from Isadora’s mouth but not untying her.

Freed to speak, Isadora wasted no time in expressing her grievances. “Dad, I had a dispute with Catherine’s roommate. I accidentally pushed her over. In retaliation, Catherine beat me up.”

When Elton heard his daughter’s explanation, his face darkened. He turned to Branden and said coldly, “Mr. Duncan, the Wales may not be as powerful as the Duncans, but that doesn’t justify being bullied into silence. If it comes to a showdown, the Duncans won’t come out unscathed either!”

These words sounded somewhat unconvincing, as the true extent of the Duncans’ power had become apparent recently. The Duncans had managed to escape from the Breens’ siege and even managed to trap the Breens in the process. Throughout the country, few enterprises possessed such capabilities.

Rumors had it that the Duncans’ power was unfathomable. If it weren’t for Branden’s unexpected visit, Elton wouldn’t have spoken in such a manner.

Catherine’s patience had worn thin, and she didn’t want to beat around the bush with these people any longer.

“Paxton!” she ordered, and Paxton immediately handed over some documents to Elton.

“Mr. Wale, this is a post written by Miss Wale, targeting Miss Swann,” Paxton said.

Elton looked at the contents of the post and was dumbfounded.

Catherine was Branden’s fiancée. How could someone keep her? Or worse, by an old man? This was ridiculous!

Elton threw the documents before Isadora and sternly questioned, “Is this your doing?”

The severity of his voice made Isadora tremble, unable to lift her head.

Elton exclaimed in distress, “How could you be so foolish?”

Isadora still claimed that she had done nothing wrong. She even shouted, ” Since she dared to do it, I do have the right to expose it!”

Elton was no longer patient and slapped Isadora. “You’re so foolish! She is Mr. Duncan’s fiancée, do you understand?”

Isadora instinctively glanced at Branden. She had only just noticed how exceptionally handsome and imposing he looked. This was the first time she had seen her father speak so subserviently to someone, which showed just how powerful the Duncans were.

If Catherine was his fiancée, then how could she be kept by an old man?

Despite the truth being right in front of her, Isadora still refused to admit her mistake. She lifted her head arrogantly and said, “Just because of this, you hit me? If it’s a misunderstanding, I can apologize!”

Catherine stepped forward and approached Isadora. “What? You hit Amelia, so why can’t I hit you? Tell me. How formidable is the power of the Wales that you look down on everyone like this?”

From the conversation between the few individuals, Elton understood the whole situation. He knew his daughter was in the wrong, and now Catherine had caught her in the act. Catherine was being so arrogant because she had Branden backing her up.

In his mind, Elton cursed his daughter for being foolish. There were other ways to deal with Catherine. Why would she use such a stupid method as spreading rumors about Catherine being kept by an old man? Wasn’t that just tarnishing Branden’s reputation? Of course, Branden would back her up!

Elton took the initiative to approach Branden and apologized, “Mr. Duncan, please forgive my daughter’s foolishness. I will make sure she apologizes to you properly, no matter how you want to punish her. Will that be acceptable to you?”

Branden remained silent and glanced at Catherine.

Elton immediately understood and said to Catherine, “Miss Swann, we will personally visit your injured roommate and cover all her medical and nutritional expenses.”

Catherine was not concerned about these things. She was focused on Elton’s previous statement. “Are you sure I can punish her however I like?”