Ch. 671..680
Chapter 671 The Person Behind the Scene
Ten minutes later, Catherine emerged from the doctor’s office. Audrey’s surgical outcome was even more perfect than she had anticipated. The wound had already begun to heal well, showing positive progress.
Having learned the information, Catherine didn’t bother to greet Audrey in the ward; instead, she walked straight out of the hospital.
Just as she exited, she spotted Paxton waiting by the car door.
Sensing her presence, Paxton immediately approached and bowed respectfully just a step away. “Miss Swann, Mr. Duncan had to return to Casier today due to urgent matters.”
Knowing Paxton wouldn’t come without a reason, Catherine inquired, ” Did you get any updates on the investigation you were assigned last night?”
“Yes.” Paxton nodded. He was here for that very reason. He had rushed to the hospital entrance upon learning of Catherine’s arrival.
“Get in the car,” Catherine said, bending down and entering the vehicle.
Paxton swiftly took the driver’s seat. ” Miss Swann, our people visited the filming locations of Miss Audrey’s recent shoots. There was no trace indicating it was man-made. The incident seems genuinely caused by the aging of props within the production crew.”
Catherine wasn’t surprised by this news. It would have been discovered long ago if it were that easy to uncover, given Triston’s concern for Audrey.
Paxton also knew that such reasons wouldn’t convince Catherine, so he brought something else with him. ” Miss Swann, take a look at this.” He handed over all the available surveillance footage from the days of the incident.
He arranged for an overnight team to examine the footage and selected several crucial video clips. Although the footage showed nothing unusual, Paxton couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. He copied the videos and handed them to Catherine.
Catherine instructed Paxton to drive her back to the university. During the journey, she thoroughly reviewed the surveillance footage provided by Paxton. Subsequently, she noticed something unusual.
The car came to a halt at the entrance of Styre University, and at that moment, Catherine handed the tablet to Paxton, indicating a person circled on the screen. “Investigate this person, ” she said.
Paxton was a bit puzzled. He had scrutinized these videos countless times and failed to identify any issues. But it took Catherine only a short while to find a crucial point. “Miss Swann…” Paxton hesitated.
Seeing that he hadn’t grasped it yet, Catherine explained, “This person appeared in all three scenes.”
Paxton rewound the footage for another look. Without Catherine’s prompt, he might not have noticed. The person changed his appearance each time, adopting inconspicuous outfits with specially altered facial features, presenting a significantly different look on each occasion.
It would be challenging for an ordinary person to recognize him even face to face, let alone in surveillance footage. However, Catherine spotted this detail at a glance. She was indeed extraordinary.
“Miss Swann, rest assured. I’ll investigate and identify this person,” said Paxton.
“Thank you!” Catherine politely expressed her gratitude, then got out of the car and headed toward the laboratory.
After leaving the hospital, Andrea returned to the Silvas’.
Upon seeing her, Tasha immediately approached, her face smiling as she said, “Andrea, I heard Mr. Lambert has been in Loxton lately. If you have time, invite him over for a meal at our place. We’d like to meet him and get acquainted.”
Andrea, looking fatigued, politely declined and said, “Mom, Triston is indeed in Loxton, but he’s busy with the company’s affairs and doesn’t have time to come.”
Tasha’s expression changed immediately. Her once gentle and smiling face turned dark. “Andrea, no matter what you think, I’m telling you, you must marry into the Lamberts. If you can’t even hold onto Triston, then there’s no point in staying in this family. You are more aware of our family’s current situation than anyone else. With that bitch outside watching, if you don’t marry into the Lamberts, how will your brother inherit the Silvas?
Andrea’s father had an illegitimate child outside, only one year younger than Andrea. In recent years, her father had shown increasing favoritism toward the child outside the family, causing Tasha to panic, fearing someone might snatch away her son’s inheritance.
Tired of hearing the same arguments, Andrea knew arguing with her mother was pointless. “Mom, I just separated from Triston. He’s currently working on a project with Mr. Duncan and is genuinely busy. Give it some time, and I’ll talk to him later.”
Tasha’s expression changed again when she heard that Andrea had just separated from Triston. “Mr. Duncan is currently the most prominent figure in the entire Loxton. Mr. Lambert is friends with him, and his future is limitless. Andrea, I won’t harm you; you must hold on to Mr. Lambert.”
Andrea nodded earnestly, though her heart felt bitter.
This time, it wasn’t her choice, but her mother was right-Triston must be hers.
“Mom, I’m a bit tired. I want to rest upstairs.” Andrea found an excuse and escaped upstairs to avoid another round of nagging.
Andrea’s phone rang as soon as she reached her room. Glancing at the caller ID, she picked up the phone and casually threw it aside. “Why bother calling me now?” she asked indifferently.
“I heard you’re going to marry Triston? “Emma asked tentatively.
Andrea sneered silently. “You’re quite well-informed. We haven’t announced it publicly, and you already know.”
Emma then suggested meeting, but Andrea didn’t want much interaction with her.
Once, out of consideration for her being the daughter of the Wales, Andrea was willing to associate with her. But now, with the Wales’ defeat, they had become the laughingstock of the entire Loxton overnight.
In order to save the family from crisis, Emma was treated as a plaything and given to Kamren. This kind of person was no longer worthy of being her friend.
However, Emma seemed to sense Andrea’s thoughts and said mysteriously, “If you really want to marry into the Lamberts, I’m afraid it won’t be that easy. After all, I heard that Mr. Lambert is enamored with the Swanns’ eldest daughter.”
She referred to Catherine’s sister, Audrey. Emma regarded Catherine as an enemy, and she paid more attention to Catherine than others.
Hearing the implied meaning in Emma’s words, Andrea asked, “What do you mean?”
Emma chuckled lightly, “Oh, nothing in particular. It’s just that I’ve known Catherine and her sister for a long time and have learned some things. If you really want to marry Triston, I might be able to help you.”
After a moment of consideration, Andrea decided to meet Emma. “I’ll let you know once I’ve set the time and place.”
After hanging up, Andrea looked out of the window with narrowed eyes. Since she couldn’t escape, she would accept it. “Triston must be mine, and no one could take him away,” she said inwardly.
Chapter 672 He’s Inside
In the afternoon, Catherine received a call from Paxton. On the phone, Paxton informed her that they had found the person.
With nothing else to do that afternoon, Catherine decided to go and see for herself. “Wait, I’ll come myself.”
After hanging up, Catherine grabbed her coat and prepared to leave the dorm. Suddenly, Amelia popped her head up from the bed and looked at Catherine. “Catherine, are you leaving?
Catherine nodded slightly. “Do you need anything?”
Amelia thought for a moment but decided it wasn’t a big deal, so she didn’t elaborate. “It’s nothing. Go ahead. If you come back, let me know and bring me some snacks.”
“Sure,” Catherine agreed and left the dorm.
She saw a familiar vehicle parked by the roadside outside the school gate. She initially thought it was Paxton who came to pick her up, but to her surprise, when she got into the car, she saw Branden sitting in the back seat.
“Why are you back?” asked Catherine.
Karl had been unwell these days, and the Duncans’ business in Casier faced some problems, prompting Branden to make a trip back to Casier.
Catherine had expected him to be away for at least two or three days, but he had returned today. Seeing the surprise in her eyes, Branden’s mood improved considerably. The exhaustion from the journey disappeared in an instant.
“I missed you,” said Branden. Because he missed her, he couldn’t wait to show up. Because he missed her, he wasn’t willing to wait even a moment longer.
Catherine was momentarily stunned, not expecting him to say something like that. Then her lips involuntarily curled up into a smile, and her mood inexplicably improved. “Yeah, quite good,” said she. She felt Branden’s thoughts of her were truly heartwarming.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, Paxton never expected that he would one day hear Branden utter words of endearment. This scene excited him greatly. To avoid affecting his driving, he silently turned a deaf ear and focused on driving.
After reaching the destination, Paxton handed the information to Catherine just before getting out of the car. “Miss Swann, this is the information about that person. You can take a look when you have time.”
The information was condensed into just a page. Catherine scanned through it, quickly grasping the content.
The person’s name was Roderick Kirk, working as an assistant special effects makeup artist on the film crew. During off-work hours, he also did odd jobs on the set.
“Miss Swann, he’s inside.” Paxton pointed to a small room not far ahead.
“Open the door.” With Catherine’s command, Paxton immediately opened the small room door.
Inside the room, Roderick stood up immediately upon hearing the sound. When he saw Catherine entering the room, he was momentarily stunned.
Despite working in the entertainment industry surrounded by good-looking individuals, he was still astonished by Catherine’s appearance. He thought Catherine would definitely thrive if she entered the entertainment industry.
However, Roderick knew it wasn’t the time to discuss this. He stared at Catherine with caution and questioned coldly. “Who are you? Why did you bring me here? What exactly do you want to do?”
Catherine didn’t immediately answer Roderick’s questions. Instead, she reached out, pulled out the chair opposite him, and sat down with a somewhat overbearing posture. Her long legs casually crossed on the table.
There were several lunch boxes on the table, the contents untouched, not even the lids opened.
“Worried about poisoning?” The sarcasm in her tone was undisguised.
Roderick continued to scrutinize Catherine; he couldn’t fathom her thoughts, and he didn’t even know why she was after him.
Catherine reached for the lunch box on the table and began eating casually.
Paxton and the others didn’t mistreat Roderick; the lunch they provided had a decent taste.
The aroma of the food wafted through the air. Roderick had been hungry the entire day and dared not even drink water, and at this moment, he could only alleviate his hunger by constantly swallowing saliva.
Catherine took a few bites and then lost interest. She casually tossed the lunch box aside and looked at Roderick across from her. “Your special effects makeup is quite well done,” said she.
Regarding his profession, Roderick’s eyes showed a hint of pride. “Want me to do your makeup? You’ll have to wait in line.”
With each word of praise, his pride swelled. Catherine couldn’t help but laugh. “Is it so hard to find a makeup assistant nowadays?”
The word “assistant” struck a nerve with Roderick, and his face instantly twisted. He glared at Catherine and roared angrily, “What do you want? Kill me if you dare, or else be prepared for me to call the police to arrest you!”
“Call the police? Go ahead.” Catherine tossed her phone onto the table. “You don’t need to unlock it for a police call. Go ahead and make the call.”
Roderick was bewildered by Catherine’s unconventional approach. He couldn’t read Catherine’s mind at all, and he didn’t know what exactly she was up to.
After hesitating for a moment, Roderick still picked up Catherine’s cell phone. Just as he did, Catherine spoke again.
“While you’re at it, report my situation too.” With that, Catherine placed three screenshots of the video in front of Roderick. These screenshots featured Roderick himself.
Roderick’s eyes showed a flash of shock. He then composed himself and calmly looked at Catherine. “Taking pictures of me while I work, are you secretly in love with me?”
“Are you serious?” Catherine sneered and looked at him sarcastically. “Take a good look at yourself. These pictures are meant to give you a bit of self- awareness. I’ll give you a chance. Explain who asked you to harm Audrey.
Roderick remained defiant. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Receiving no answer, Catherine didn’t get angry, nor did she deal with Roderick ferociously. Instead, she asked with a smile on her face, “How about making a deal?”
“What kind of deal?” Roderick came to be interested.
Seeing that he took the bait, Catherine continued, “If you’re willing to answer me, I’ll tell you why I can recognize you and where your flaws are.”
A flicker of wavering appeared in Roderick’s eyes. Catherine saw right through him and knew what he cared about most.
He wasn’t worried about being tortured or forced to confess, but he couldn’t stand it when his profession was questioned.
Catherine’s words rattled him. It was so unbearable that he was going crazy. In a way, it was worse for Roderick than a few punches to him. He wanted to say it, but he couldn’t.
Catherine, sensing Roderick’s internal struggle, could see through everything from his subtle expressions.
She didn’t know what Roderick was afraid of, but as Catherine pondered, the door to the small room was pushed open. Branden walked in, emitting a powerful aura that made it impossible to ignore him. But people didn’t dare to meet his gaze directly either.
He threw a stack of documents on the table and nodded toward Roderick, signaling for him to take a look.
Roderick glanced at the documents and widened his eyes in shock, freezing in place. The next moment, he raised his head and angrily stared at Branden. He even stood up uncontrollably and was about to rush forward.
“What do you want? Don’t touch her!” he shouted.
Chapter 673 You Made Your Own Bed
Roderick’s emotions spiraled out of control, and he resembled a frenzied beast. Displaying a threatening demeanor, he seemed almost eager to devour Branden on the spot.
However, Paxton swiftly subdued him with a single hand before he could come forward, delivering a punch to his abdomen. Roderick crumpled in pain, curling into a ball.
“Who do you think you are? How dare you trouble Mr. Duncan? It was practically seeking death,” thought Paxton. Feeling offended, he struck another blow to Roderick’s stomach.
This time, Roderick couldn’t maintain his stance and collapsed to the ground, clutching his abdomen in agony.
Branden approached slowly and looked down on Roderick with disdain. With lips slightly parted, he said in a cold, mocking tone, “This’s what I gave you back.”
This simple sentence instantly changed Roderick’s complexion. He dared not contemplate what this dignified man might do to his sister.
Even though he had a firm and somewhat disdainful attitude just moments ago, he gave in now. Raising his head, his eyes filled with plea, he said, “I did it all. Come after me if you want. But don’t harm my sister.”
Branden discovered Roderick had a sister, suffering from an illness and residing in the hospital. Due to their mom’s remarriage, his sister even changed her last name, and no one knew they were siblings.
Roderick worked tirelessly as a makeup assistant just to earn more for his sister’s treatment. Exploiting this vulnerability to make him talk was an easy task.
“Don’t harm your sister?” Catherine responded coldly, her words laced with mockery. “When you went after my sister, why didn’t you think of dealing with me only?”
Roderick finally understood why this beautiful woman seemed so familiar. She was the sister of Audrey, the renowned star. Now, he comprehended why she came to him.
He had no issues with Audrey; in fact, he admired her.
Audrey had a very good personality and would not be like some celebrities who started to make a fuss when they became a bit famous, and she would not find fault with some minor roles like assistants in the crew.
Audrey always treated them well and even shared good things with assistants like him.
After some internal struggle, Roderick chose to confess everything. He provided a name. It was the manager of the company that developed that movie town. Usually, those working on set had to interact with him.
The manager transferred a sum of money to Roderick, asking him to create a secret incident involving Audrey. The amount was substantial, and for the sake of his sister’s treatment, Roderick agreed.
Catherine released Roderick after he revealed the entire process. She didn’t subject him to further punishment but instructed him to turn himself in to the police and explain everything.
He made his living on set, but now, he actually hurt an actor for money. When word of this got out, who would dare to offer him this job again?
For someone like him, physical punishment wasn’t the most painful consequence. Taking the price for what he had done was the most painful thing for him.
Before leaving, Roderick turned back, eyes filled with anticipation as he looked at Catherine. “Can you tell me how you spotted the flaws?”
He couldn’t comprehend how even his colleagues failed to notice, but Catherine discovered his disguises just through the videos.
“No.” Catherine decisively rejected Roderick’s request and added, making it clear, “You’re not worthy.”
For someone who had harmed her family, entertaining such thoughts was a sheer delusion.
Seeing Catherine displeased, Paxton immediately arranged for people to drive Roderick out.
Later, Paxton organized some people to investigate further based on the name Roderick had provided, and soon they had results.
Paxton presented the findings to Catherine, who glanced at them and told Branden beside her, “Go to the hospital.”
“Okay.” Branden took her hand and got into the car together with her.
Later, they arrived at Serenity General Hospital.
Outside the ward, Triston stood looking troubled. Since the day Andrea visited, Audrey refused to meet him, even denying him entry to the ward.
Triston’s face lit up with a smile when he saw the group. He quickly walked to Catherine’s side. “Catherine, your timing is perfect. Take a moment to advise your sister.”
Catherine glanced coldly at him, said nothing, and walked past him into the room.
Seeing Catherine ignore him, Triston was puzzled and looked at Branden. ” What’s going on?”
Branden ignored him, walking to an empty chair and sitting down.
Frustrated, Triston pounded the wall. He had no idea how things got this way. And he could not understand why everyone was treating him this way.
Inside the ward, Catherine handed all the information to Audrey.
Upon learning that her injury wasn’t accidental, Audrey was surprised. She had always kept a low profile in the industry. She never fought for anything, thinking it would secure her peace. Yet, it seemed she couldn’t escape trouble.
“Kathy, I want to handle this on my own,” said Audrey.
As the elder sister, she hadn’t taken care of Catherine. Instead, Catherine had been helping her. The more Audrey thought about it, the more guilty she felt. This time, she decided to resolve the matter herself.
She wouldn’t hold back since the other party came for her and had already harmed her.
Catherine wasn’t one to meddle much, and since Audrey said she could handle it, there was no need for Catherine to intervene. “Don’t get yourself hurt.”
“Rest assured.” Audrey smiled and nodded. “I’ve been working for so many years. Maybe I don’t have your cleverness, but I’m not a delicate flower in a greenhouse. If Miss Silva wants to harm me, let’s see if she’s capable of doing so. She wanted to marry into the Lamberts by doing so, right? I won’t let her have her way.”
Although Catherine didn’t help Audrey to take revenge, she provided Audrey with a lot of information about the Silvas. With this in hand, it was much easier for Audrey to deal with Andrea.
“Kathy, you’re busy with your studies. Go back. When you leave, call Triston in,” said Audrey.
Audrey knew Catherine had been busy with laboratory work lately, and she heard that even Branden had put down his work to accompany her. Thinking of her sister having such companionship, Audrey felt genuinely happy for her.
Outside the ward, Triston sat beside Branden, eagerly looking at him. “Mr. Duncan, when will you be ready? My once happy days are about to be ruined by you.”
Branden glanced at him indifferently and said coldly, “You made your own bed.” It was Triston’s own fault, and he couldn’t blame anyone. 1
Feeling the glare, Triston timidly touched his nose. “Resolve your matters as soon as possible so I can go back and confess to my parents.”
“Soon,” Branden replied indifferently.
Triston’s eyes, which were filled with despair a moment ago, now regained their brightness. Having known Branden for so long, he had never heard Branden speak falsehoods. If Branden said it would be soon, then it would be close to being over.
They were finally going to reach the day of victory, and Triston couldn’t help but get a little excited just thinking about it.
Catherine emerged from the ward, and Branden stood up, seeing her ready to leave.
Catherine looked at Triston and gestured toward the room. Triston immediately became excited, thanking her profusely with a smiling face.
“Thanks, my future sister-in-law!” With that, he joyfully walked toward the ward.
Watching his cheerful figure, Catherine chuckled softly. “Silly.”
Seeing her in a good mood, Branden reached for her waist, pulling her into an embrace. “Let’s go grab a meal. Don’t mind him.”
Chapter 674 The Lab Might Be Haunted
Catherine woke up and stood in front of the mirror, sighing as she looked at the red marks on her neck. Even though Branden had shown restraint, the red marks were still visible.
Last night, she returned to the apartment with Branden. Knowing that she had been busy with laboratory work lately, Branden made her a cup of warm milk, intending for her to rest.
However, she, for some reason, decided to seduce him. But how could Branden resist her teasing? He pounced on her immediately, and the two shared a night of passion. She ended up sleeping in today.
Branden entered the bathroom and found Catherine standing in front of the mirror in a daze. He walked up slowly, embraced her from behind, and rested his head on her shoulder. ” Feeling uncomfortable?” he softly asked.
Catherine returned to her senses, her wandering thoughts brought back. She gazed gently through the mirror at the man. Half-closing her eyes, she lazily responded to Branden’s question, “No. Just sleepy.”
Despite Branden’s suggestion for her to sleep a bit more, Catherine declined.
Branden anticipated her response. He knew Catherine’s nature. Once she decided on something, her plans wouldn’t easily change.
While Catherine was washing up, Branden attentively unbuttoned her sleepwear from behind and changed the clothes she would wear today. Catherine remained like a puppet throughout, letting Branden take care of everything.
In the apartment, there was a room transformed into Catherine’s dressing room. Branden regularly added various accessories and clothes, but Catherine rarely went in.
Whenever she needed to dress, Branden would choose and present the clothes to her. Her clothing requirements were simple, emphasizing comfort and warmth. Apart from these, it was up to Branden’s mood to decide.
Today, with the sunlight being nice and warm, Branden chose a white T-shirt for Catherine, paired with a light yellow coat. Unlike the usual black and white, the bright colors complemented Catherine’s naturally perfect skin, making her look more vibrant and exuding a youthful vigor.
Catherine sat at the table and leisurely ate her breakfast. Branden, on the other hand, held a cup of hot coffee and observed her.
The sunlight streamed through the glass window, casting a radiant glow on Catherine.
The intense gaze made Catherine, who initially wanted to ignore it, unable to disregard it. She raised her eyes and met Branden’s gaze with a warning, signaling him to restrain himself. Branden snorted lightly and tilted his head to conceal his gaze.
Catherine would never understand how much effort it took for him to suppress his possessiveness.
He understood that Catherine loved freedom and disliked being restrained. Yet, she was too splendid, too beautiful -compelling enough to make one want to hide her away in a place outsiders could never reach. He just wanted to have her all to himself.
After finishing the last sip of milk, Catherine put down the cup and stood up.
Branden naturally took the cup and turned to walk into the kitchen, and when he came out, Catherine had already packed up.
Branden grabbed his coat and looked at her tenderly. “Let’s go. I’ll drive you to school.”
The two walked out of the apartment like an ordinary couple, heading in different directions but with the same destination in mind-home.
The car stopped at the school gate, and Catherine didn’t let Branden open the car door for her. She had been quite conspicuous at school recently, and though she wasn’t afraid of the curious glances, she preferred to keep a low profile whenever possible.
Branden’s face was distinctive enough that if captured, it could stir up a buzz on the school forum for a few days.
Catherine didn’t head directly to the laboratory but went back to the dormitory first. Hearing the door opening, Amelia peered out. “Bella…”
Mid-sentence, she swallowed her words. She had expected Isabella to return, not Catherine. “Super Catherine, why are you back? I thought you would go straight to the lab.”
“I returned for some document.” Catherine walked directly to her bed after speaking. Once she got what she needed, she was ready to leave. Turning around, she noticed Amelia standing behind her.
Seeing Amelia avoiding eye contact, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated, Catherine placed the documents down and pulled out a chair to sit. “If you have something to say, just go ahead.”
Deep down, Amelia admired Catherine once again. “Super Catherine indeed lived up to her title. She could always effortlessly grasp what was on my mind,” thought she.
“Super Catherine, there’s something I’m not sure if I should mention,” said Amelia.
“When you hesitate, it already implies you want to say something, doesn’t it?” Catherine analyzed calmly.
After careful consideration, Amelia found some sense in Catherine’s words and continued, “Super Catherine, there’s a strange incident I witnessed while cleaning the lab a couple of days ago. I can’t help but feel our lab might be haunted.”
Amelia then explained the specific details, genuinely suspecting she had met a ghost.
However, since the laboratory was a place that believed in science, she feared being labeled as superstitious or irrational if she shared this with others. With no other choice, she turned to Catherine.
“Super Catherine, please be cautious and pay attention. It’s better to believe in the possibility of such things and respect them. Don’t stay too late in the lab,” added Amelia. She felt that Catherine, who often immersed herself in the lab and conducted experiments late into the night, was in particular danger.
For Catherine’s security, Amelia thought it over for a while and decided to share her concerns.
After Amelia finished, she anxiously glanced at Catherine to gauge her reaction. Seeing Catherine’s calm expression, unchanged from before, and no disdain in her eyes, Amelia finally heaved a sigh of relief.
“Super Catherine, I just thought I’d mention it. Be careful, anyway,” added she.
“Okay,” Catherine softly replied. ”
Thanks.”
In high spirits, Amelia smiled and said, “You’re welcome.”
Having held these worries for so many years, she was always afraid of being mocked or belittled if she spoke out. Unexpectedly, Catherine expressed gratitude.
“Hurry back to the lab,” said Amelia.
Catherine took the documents and stood up. Before leaving, she assured Amelia, “I’ll try to come back early.”
Seeing Catherine take her advice seriously, Amelia was overjoyed, her eyes smiling. “Early to leave, early to return.”
Catherine held the documents and went downstairs. She didn’t believe in ghosts and spirits, but she understood that Amelia wouldn’t lie and certainly wouldn’t joke about such matters.
If it wasn’t the supernatural, the most probable explanation was that someone deliberately caused these disturbances.
Catherine descended the stairs slowly, preparing to check the laboratory. Unexpectedly, near the dormitory building’s entrance, she spotted a familiar figure.
Chapter 675 Branden’s Secret
Zobber saw Catherine coming down and quickly walked up. “Catherine…”
Catherine nodded, and the two walked to a small garden on the side. This was the usual place for students to relax.on campus. Since it was class time, there weren’t many people in the leisure area. Catherine led Zobber to sit here.
Zobber carefully examined Catherine. She rarely saw Catherine wearing anything other than black and white. Today, she suddenly noticed Catherine in a light yellow coat, holding some documents. It gave off a bit of a college- student vibe, youthful and beautiful.
Catherine turned her head to Zobber. ”
Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Catherine, you look really good like this, with a fresh and tender feeling.” After saying this, Zobber looked down at her own outfit and sighed. “I feel like a delinquent girl in front of you.”
With purple hair, she wore skinny jeans on the lower half and a tight camisole on the upper half. It was indeed a bit out of sync in this artistic university setting.
Catherine didn’t think much of her own appearance. Branden picked out her clothes and even helped her put them on. She didn’t bother with these things now. “You came all the way to find me just to belittle yourself and boost me up, huh?”
Zobber immediately denied it. She wouldn’t do something so shallow. ” Not really. I came to find you for something else. Catherine, we found out that Branden has been secretly investigating the Hacker Alliance. Does he know it’s yours?”
“He doesn’t,” replied Catherine. Branden might suspect some connection between her and the Hacker Alliance and might even know she was part of it, but he probably didn’t know she was the founder.
Hacker Alliance had been publicly claiming Kemp Chavez, a renowned hacking professor in Eskana, as the founder, but Kemp had passed away five years ago. Only Catherine knew this, and the outside world was still under the misconception that Kemp was the chief, not knowing Catherine’s true identity.
The reason for the misunderstanding in the outside world was that Hacker Alliance once took on a job that no organization dared to touch worldwide. At that time, Kemp was the point of contact.
Later on, even though the Hacker Alliance concealed a lot of information, a few individuals still knew about Kemp.
Zobber was speechless and thought, ” This couple is quite intriguing. Are they playing a game of concealment? They’re even sharing a bed, yet they don’t plan to let each other know their identities. That’s really amusing. They sure know how to make things interesting.”
“Did you find out what he wants from the Hacker Alliance?” asked Catherine.
“No.” Zobber shook her head. She wanted to know Branden’s purpose, but his movements were too mysterious. As the head of the Duncan Corporation, he had significant power behind him. Trying to dig up his information was very difficult. Even with the resources of the Hacker Alliance, they could only inquire a little.
“Catherine, from what I’ve gathered, it seems Branden is looking for someone, possibly a woman. Besides that, we really can’t find out much else. How about you come clean with Branden? If he knows you’re the chief of Hacker Alliance, he won’t have to spend a fortune finding someone; he can just come directly to you,” continued Zobber.
Upon learning that Branden wanted to contact Hacker Alliance to find a woman, Zobber kept the information to herself. She dared not call Catherine, especially since Catherine was always with Branden. To avoid misunderstanding, she came to the school in person and told Catherine about the situation.
Upon hearing the news, Catherine remained calm, but Zobber seemed more anxious than the person directly involved.
“Hacker Alliance will still take on jobs from the Duncans. There’s no need to worry about me. Follow the rules of Hacker Alliance,” said Catherine.
As long as the Duncans could afford it, there was nothing wrong with Hacker Alliance accepting their job.
Although she was the chief of the Hacker Alliance, the organization consisted of more than just her.
Since they were in business, as long as the other party respected Hacker Alliance’s way of doing business, there was no reason not to take on the job.
“Are you sure you don’t want to tell Branden your identity?” asked Zobber.
“Yeah,” she answered without hesitation. The one dating Branden was her, not the Hacker Alliance. If Branden didn’t come asking, she had no reason to reveal it.
Seeing her determination, Zobber could only let her be. “Catherine, are you planning to go to the lab?”
“Yes, and you? Going back or staying?” asked Catherine.
“It’s a rare chance to be at Styre University; I want to experience the cultural atmosphere of a top domestic institution. I’ll contact Ronin later. You go to the lab. We can have dinner together tonight,” said Zobber.
“Sure.” Catherine agreed with Zobber’s suggestion, then got up and left.
After resting in the hospital for three days, Audrey planned to return to recuperate.
When Catherine came to study at Loxton, she had Kim buy her an apartment in Loxton. Catherine studied in Loxton, and Audrey often visited Loxton for filming and various activities. Staying in a hotel for a long time wasn’t suitable, so Audrey bought an apartment.
Upon hearing that she wanted to return, Triston initially intended to take her to his estate, which had a better environment and more people. But Audrey flatly refused; she only wanted to stay in her own home.
Triston felt helpless. These days, due to Andrea’s situation, his already humble position in front of Audrey had become increasingly precarious. Unable to do much, he had to comply with Audrey’s request to take her back to the apartment.
After helping Audrey pack her things, Triston walked over to her, sat down slowly, and asked in a hushed tone, ” You’re leaving the hospital. Why didn’t you tell Catherine and have her come over?”
Audrey looked at him in confusion. ” Why should I tell her? Catherine is busy studying and doing experiments with professors. It’s exhausting for her to come over. Do you have something going on? If you have something to do, just go. I have Kim here. You don’t need to bother.”
Triston was speechless. He just felt Audrey had been unusually quiet lately. She didn’t say much all morning. Triston wanted to find a topic to chat with her. He did not expect himself to be retorted like this.
Triston quickly apologized, not daring to delay a second. He said, “Audrey, I was wrong, okay? I have nothing to do today. I’ll accompany you. I’m not saying anything now. Let’s just get going.”
His business in Loxton mainly involved projects with the Duncan Corporation and other projects related to the Lanes.
Audrey’s injury was known to his friends. During this time, he instructed them not to disturb him unless it was something significant.
He focused on taking care of Audrey, and indeed, there was nothing urgent.
His apology amused Audrey, but she didn’t smile. She just no longer wore a long face.
Seeing her tightly furrowed brow finally relaxing, Triston released a sigh of relief. He really wondered if he had provoked too many girls in the past, leading to this retribution now.
The two went downstairs and arrived at the underground parking lot. Triston raised his eyes and saw Andrea walking toward them.
He was shocked. Sensing that Audrey hadn’t noticed, he immediately led her in the other direction.
Puzzled, Audrey asked, “Going this way would be faster, right? Why go around?
Triston pretended to be calm and said, ” You’re mistaken. This way is faster.”
Although he disguised it well, Audrey was a professional actress and still noticed a hint of suspicion. She turned her head and happened to see Andrea.
Her face immediately darkened, and Triston, covering his chest, felt trouble coming. “This time, it’s going to be troublesome,” he said inwardly.
Chapter 676 Are You Still Unaware
Audrey turned back to glance at Triston, who bowed his head and remained silent.
He honestly had no idea what Andrea had given his mother. No matter how he tried to persuade his mother these days, she showed no intention of breaking off the engagement.
He didn’t care about the opinions of his family. In the past, he would let it be if they didn’t want to break off the engagement. After all, it was no use in upholding a false reputation. Anyway, they couldn’t force him into a marriage.
However, things were different now; he might not care, but Audrey did. Anything Audrey cared about, he had to take seriously.
Audrey’s gaze fell casually on Andrea, who was walking toward her. “Miss Silva, what a coincidence. I didn’t expect to see you here,” she said in a calm tone.
Andrea smiled faintly and gracefully replied, “Not really a coincidence. Miss Swann, I came specifically to visit you but didn’t expect to run into you in the parking lot. Judging by your appearance, are you about to be discharged?”
Andrea always maintained a high posture and was full of smiles, leaving Audrey no choice but to reciprocate. Otherwise, she would have lost and ended up looking bad.
Audrey smiled warmly and said, “Yes. I prepare to go home and recuperate. What a pity. Miss Silva, you won’t be able to visit your fiancé in my ward anymore.”
Triston stood behind Audrey. When he heard the term “fiancé,” beads of cold sweat dripped directly from his forehead. Without thinking, he stepped forward and exclaimed, “I don’t know who Miss Silva’s fiancé is, but it’s not me. I can’t afford a girl like Miss Silva. Please don’t put that kind of label on me.”
His disdainful expression, as if a plague tainted him, made Andrea’s hand clench tightly at her side. She forced herself to swallow the anger and turned to Audrey with a smile. “Miss Swann, since you’re leaving the hospital, how about we find a place for coffee?”
Audrey stood with one hand in her pocket, casting a sidelong glance at Andrea. “Miss Silva, we can’t really be considered friends, can we? If that is the case, why should I give you the face to agree to you?”
Even though Audrey was no big shot, she was a somewhat famous actress, the Swanns’ young lady. Who did Andrea think she was? Why did Audrey have to go just because Andrea invited her?
The smile on Andrea’s face froze at this moment, cracking inch by inch, disappearing.
Andrea didn’t want things to turn awkward, but Audrey wasn’t showing her any respect. “Miss Swann, you aren’t interested in me. But what about Ms. Rachael?” she asked.
Audrey’s gaze turned gloomy as she sharply looked straight at Andrea. ” What do you mean?”
“No hidden meanings. I just want to invite you for a cup of coffee,” Andrea replied.
Audrey didn’t understand why Andrea suddenly brought up her mother, Rachael, but she was sure it wasn’t for anything good. After a brief hesitation, Audrey agreed.
“There’s a place right at the entrance. Let’s go,” she said.
Although Audrey agreed, Andrea didn’t immediately move. She glanced in the direction behind Audrey.
Audrey sensed Andrea’s concern about Triston and turned back to him, saying, “Wait for me in the car.”
Triston initially wanted to refuse but was silenced by a look from Audrey. He shrugged and swallowed back the words that came to his lips.
Andrea stood aside and observed Triston’s actions. Every time they met before, Triston presented himself as a carefree, domineering figure. Given his background and talent, she always thought that was his true nature.
However, she never expected him to be like this in front of Audrey. He was like a man madly in love. He tenderly cared for Audrey, his every action careful.
Triston knew he could not dissuade Audrey, so he looked at Andrea. However, when his gaze shifted toward Andrea, the warmth turned into a sharpness, like two swords thrusting sharply at Andrea, full of a strong warning.
Andrea silently laughed. Her heart was stung, and she even forgot how to breathe. This was the first time she was satisfied with the future husband her family had arranged, but his heart wasn’t in it.
Triston, not trusting Audrey to walk alone, personally escorted her to the nearby coffee shop before leaving under Audrey’s threatening gaze.
The injury on Audrey’s hand hadn’t healed yet, preventing her from having coffee. She ordered hot water instead. After taking a sip, she calmly said, “He has left. Speak your mind.”
Andrea had tried to contact Triston these days, but she couldn’t reach him no matter how she tried. Triston not only avoided meeting her but also blocked her calls. He even warned his friends that whoever told her about his whereabouts would be cut off.
Triston rarely spoke so sternly within their circle. His casual and good- tempered personality seldom turned this serious. This sudden declaration made everyone silent. After all, no one would dare offend him.
Andrea was forced to turn to Audrey as a last resort. She knew that finding Audrey increased the chances of finding Triston. “Miss Swann, the marriage between Triston and me is beneficial to both our families. It’s inevitable. I advise you to withdraw sooner rather than later.”
Audrey coldly laughed and looked out the window. “Withdraw? Don’t you find it ridiculous?”
She opened her purse, took out a card, and handed it to Andrea. “I’ve acted in plenty of romantic dramas. Today, I’m applying what I’ve learned in reality. I heard the Silvas aren’t doing well economically.”
Andrea’s face immediately darkened, and her words became harsher. “Miss Swann, what do you mean? Are you trying to buy me off?”
Audrey lightly laughed, confidence shining on her face. “Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t stoop so low. There’s ten million dollars in this card. Take it. I’m entrusting you with a task. As long as you can get Triston away and stop him from bothering me, this money is yours.”
It was a ruthless move, causing Andrea’s heart to collapse. Seeing Andrea forcefully suppressing her anger, Audrey was amused and thought, “How dare you say something so offensive to me? You shouldn’t know who my sister is, right?”
Andrea had always considered herself a noble member of Loxton. She looked down on Audrey, thinking she was a parvenu from the countryside.
But how could Audrey, the daughter from the Swanns of Casier, be belittled by someone like Andrea?
If the Silvas were short on money, desperate enough to send their daughter to marry into the Lamberts, then Audrey would use money to strike at Andrea’s pride.
Andrea tried hard to swallow her anger. She initially thought Audrey was weak but never expected her to have such a strong side.
“Miss Swann, with so much money, why do you allow your mother to swagger around using Triston’s name for deception?” asked Andrea.
Audrey’s expression froze, her brows furrowed into a tight knot. “What do you mean?”
“Miss Swann, are you still unaware?” Andrea felt triumphant but looked at Audrey calmly. She then proceeded to reveal everything Rachel had been doing in Casier during this time.
Chapter 677 It’s Destiny
Triston noticed that Audrey’s expression became very unpleasant after she came out of the coffee shop.
Initially, he was extremely cautious, afraid Audrey might erupt in anger and tear him apart with her fury. Now, he wished Audrey would just let it out. Audrey’s silent demeanor left him anxious and unsure. No woman had ever stirred his emotions like this.
Parking the car on the side, he reached out, grabbing Audrey’s hand and holding it tightly in his palm. “Audrey, what’s wrong? Did Andrea say something to you? You don’t have to listen to her; she’s just not in her right mind.”
Audrey weakly lifted her head and looked at Triston briefly before whispering, “I’m tired. Just take me home.” After that, she turned her head away, unwilling to give Triston even a glance.
Triston was getting frustrated, but Audrey remained calm, not raising her voice or causing a scene. Reluctantly, Triston had no choice but to respect Audrey’s wishes and take her home. After all, if he pissed her off, then she would hide and disappear, and he would be the one in trouble.
Catherine stayed in the laboratory until 7 p.m. Ciaran, noticing she was still focused on the experiments, asked, Catherine, shall we go for dinner? Do you want me to bring you something?”
Catherine, the professor’s favorite student and the youngest among them, usually received special attention. ” Thank you, Ciaran, but I’ll leave in a while.” She politely declined the offer.
Ciaran found it curious. “Rare for you to leave the lab so early today.”
Ciaran admired Catherine’s concentration during experiments. Once in the lab, she displayed an intense focus, not even glancing at her phone during breaks. Perhaps it was because she had such focus that she was so successful that even the professor looked at her differently.
In response to Ciaran’s teasing, Catherine smiled faintly and replied, Just happened to have something to attend to.”
“Alright then, we’ll go for dinner first,” said Ciaran.
After waving goodbye, Catherine resumed her work.
As the experiments concluded, she closed the lab door. And before leaving, she paused at Marshall’s office. She stood quietly, and there was no sound from within.
The supposedly haunted place Amelia had mentioned was Marshall’s office, but now it seemed completely quiet. After a few minutes, Catherine turned away and left the lab.
She originally intended to return to her dorm. However, she received a message from Branden when she got to the bottom of the dormitory building and changed direction toward the school gate.
In the distance, Branden, sitting in his car, spotted her slender figure. Alone, she walked slowly toward where he’d parked.
He got out of the car and approached her. Seeing Catherine about to arrive, he took off his coat and draped it over her.
“You came so quickly. Didn’t you go to the lab today?” It was just a trial for Branden. He knew Catherine wouldn’t bring her phone into the lab, and he couldn’t reach her. But despite that, he came.
“Coincidentally, I just finished the experiment.” Catherine’s simple words brought a smile to Branden’s face.
“It’s destiny,” said Branden.
Catherine looked up and caught Branden’s amused eyes. She couldn’t help but tease him, “Stop being such a narcissist. Shall we go for dinner?”
“Do you want us to cook our own food, or shall we go to Golden Spoon?” Branden asked.
Catherine thought for a moment, then got into the car. Only when she was seated did Branden bend down into the car.
Before Catherine could speak, Branden’s phone rang. Initially thinking of declining, Branden answered when he saw it was Triston calling.
With one hand holding the phone, Branden used the other to grab some snacks from the car. They were all Catherine’s usual favorites. He placed them in front of Catherine, suggesting she fill her stomach first.
Catherine unwrapped the snacks just in time to hear Triston’s whining on the other end. “What’s wrong with him?” she asked.
Branden glanced at her and whispered, “He’s crazy.”
Triston, overhearing their conversation, roared in frustration, Branden, you bastard! How can you abandon your friends for a woman? I just want to ask you to come out for a drink. Why is it so difficult?”
Knowing Catherine was with Branden, Triston diverted his attention toward her. “Cassie, please. Join me for a meal. If you don’t come, this bastard won’t either.”
Branden looked at Catherine and whispered, “Do you want to go?” If she shook her head now, he would hang up immediately. He did not care what had happened to Triston.
Considering Triston’s pitiful state, Catherine decided to be generous with her sympathy. “Alright, I’ll go.”
Without waiting for Triston’s cheers, Branden ended the call.
Triston then sent the address to Branden with a copy to Paxton.
Half an hour later, the two appeared at the music bar where Triston was.
Aidan was also present. The two of them had consumed quite a few bottles by the look of the empty ones on the table.
Triston motioned for them to sit after they arrived and poured drinks for them, but Branden removed the glass in front of Catherine.
Glancing at the dishes on the table, he ordered a few light dishes and placed them in front of Catherine. “Eat first.”
Catherine didn’t protest and naturally accepted the fork Branden handed her, starting to eat. Aidan, watching their interactions, felt like he was starving himself.
Seeing the two seamlessly engaged, Triston felt a pang of heartache and complained, “How come others in love are sweet, but when it comes to me, it’s so bumpy? It’s unfair, completely unfair!”
Watching him, Catherine knew he must have suffered at Audrey’s hands. “What did you do to Audrey?” she asked.
Hearing Catherine’s words, Aidan chimed in, “Yes, quickly tell us. What wrongdoing have you committed against Audrey? Tell us. Let’s see how far you’ve gone.”
Triston glared disapprovingly at Aidan and angrily said, “Go away. It’s none of your business!”
He dared to argue with Aidan but wouldn’t dare to provoke Catherine. Firstly, he couldn’t win against her, and secondly, if he angered Catherine, he would not only face Catherine’s beating but also Branden’s. With the threat of the two, he didn’t dare to be reckless.
“Catherine, this really isn’t my fault. I don’t know what happened. Audrey just got angry and kicked me out.” Triston then recounted the events of the afternoon.
Catherine silently ate her food, saying nothing. Aidan, on the other hand, played the role of a life advisor and explained to Triston.
He said, “Women need a sense of security. Now, with this Andrea showing up, you’ve made Audrey feel insecure. Mr. Lambert, not to criticize, but you handled this poorly.”
Triston didn’t know how to respond, so he just drank silently.
Suddenly, Catherine, who had been quiet throughout the meal, put down her fork and looked at Triston. “You should go talk to Andrea, not us.”
Chapter 678 Let’s See How Things Unfold
Catherine could tell that Triston calling her out for dinner was not a coincidence but a deliberate act.
He was well aware that there was a high probability Branden would be with her at this hour. The person he truly wanted to invite wasn’t Branden but her. After all, Audrey was her sister, and her words could influence Audrey.
Triston knew that Catherine had seen through his thoughts, so he looked at her helplessly. “I had no other choice,” he said.
He had tried everything to persuade Audrey earlier. However, this time, Audrey didn’t react at all. She simply threw him out without a word.
Frustrated and helpless, Triston had no option but to seek Catherine’s help.
Later, he briefly explained what happened in the afternoon. Before Catherine could speak, Aidan said, “Mr. Lambert, did your brain turn into mush? Clearly, it’s Andrea causing trouble behind the scenes. Just go find Andrea.”
“Do you think you know what to do? Don’t forget you don’t even have a girlfriend yourself,” said Triston.
Aidan was speechless and thought, ” My single status deprives me of the right to speak, huh? Alright, I’ll keep quiet.”
Triston naturally knew the problem lay with Andrea, but now Audrey cared so much that he dared not have any contact with Andrea. He was doing everything he could to avoid her.
He had never encountered a woman as persistent as Andrea. Even when he treated her coldly and degraded her mercilessly, she would shamelessly come up to him, even causing Audrey to misunderstand again. He was truly afraid of this woman. She was more troublesome than any woman ever.
Catherine had promised Audrey not to interfere in her affairs and let her solve it on her own. Since she had said so, Catherine naturally couldn’t go back on her word.
“If the Silvas are determined to marry their daughter to you and establish a relationship with the Lamberts, you might as well give up your identity as the Lamberts’ heir. The Silvas will naturally give up when you’re no longer of any use to them,” said Catherine.
Upon hearing Catherine’s suggestion, Aidan, sitting beside them, couldn’t help but applaud. “What a ruthless move! Brilliant! This will definitely work!”
Aidan secretly glanced at Branden, silently worrying about him.
Catherine’s strategy seemed like advising Triston, but in reality, it punished both the Lamberts and the Silvas, as well as Triston. She clearly stood up for Audrey. This intelligence was admirable.
The Silvas wouldn’t appreciate not forming a connection with the Lamberts. If this news got out, revealing that Triston abandoned the Lamberts in order not to marry Andrea, Andrea would lose any chance to enter prestigious families in Loxton.
As for the Lamberts, if Triston announced his departure, it would hurt both parties. Catherine’s words made Triston ponder deeply. The atmosphere at the scene fell silent.
Catherine quietly ate her dinner, and Branden calmly served her throughout. One moment, he was peeling shrimp, and the next, he was removing fish bones, not allowing Catherine to bother herself.
After Catherine finished eating, she put down her fork without saying a word and got up. She had said what she needed to, and now it was Triston’s business to handle.
Aidan, supporting his chin with one hand, looked at the backs of the two leaving. He muttered to Triston, ” You’re not seriously considering following Catherine’s advice, are you?”
Triston’s eyes turned red. He picked up the wine glass on the table and drank the wine down in one gulp.
Outside the music bar, Branden took off his coat and placed it over Catherine’s shoulders. Catherine was about to refuse but was stopped by his hand. “It’s windy. Put it on,” said he.
His gentle voice, tinged with indulgence, had more of a coaxing tone than a command. Paxton arrived swiftly, and Catherine didn’t hesitate to get into the car. Once seated, Branden instructed Paxton in the front seat to raise the car’s temperature.
With a full stomach, Catherine leaned comfortably on Branden’s shoulder, sending a message to Ronin on her phone. [Check Casier’s recent situation for me.]
Audrey’s unusual state was likely related to Andrea. After experiencing relationship setbacks once, Audrey wouldn’t willingly put herself in such a situation again.
If it were just about Triston, Audrey wouldn’t be reacting this way. Someone might have guided Andrea behind the scenes to cause Audrey to react so abnormally.
Audrey cared most about her family, and Catherine wanted Ronin to check if anything inappropriate happened with the Swanns in Casier while they were away.
For Branden, regardless of what Catherine did, he would fully support her. As for people outside, as long as it didn’t involve Catherine, he had no interest.
Seeing Catherine put away her phone, he reached over to embrace her waist, making her more comfortable. “Lie down and rest for a while. I’ll wake you up when we arrive,” he said.
“Okay.” Catherine quietly lay down, closing her eyes to rest.
After returning from the music bar last night, Catherine slept in the apartment and didn’t go back to the dorm.
Branden personally drove her to school when she woke up in the morning. Coming back early, Catherine made a trip to the dorm.
Amelia was already awake and, seeing Catherine return, excitedly shared her newly acquired breakfast with her. The two were talking when suddenly their phones rang simultaneously.
Amelia held her phone and waved it in front of Catherine. “Super Catherine, lab notification. I need to go there as soon as possible. Are you going to the lab? Let’s go together.”
Catherine also showed her own phone. Amelia looked and found that Catherine had received the same message. The content was identical, suggesting an important announcement from the lab that required everyone’s presence.
The two of them set off together for the lab. When they arrived, many people were already there.
Not only lab members but also Marshall and the principal, Ultan, were present, along with a few unfamiliar figures who seemed to be school authorities.
Everyone gathered in the meeting room, and Ultan, standing on the platform, was the first to speak.
“Dear students, the sudden meeting today is about a rather important matter that I need to inform you all,” said Ultan.
Whispers spread as everyone sensed Ultan’s grim expression, and his serious tone added to the atmosphere of suspicion. They couldn’t help but wonder what the big deal was that had happened.
“Let’s quiet down and listen to me.” With Ultan’s command, the meeting room fell silent.
Ultan cleared his throat before continuing, “This morning, our school’s top team participated in the Interstellar Championship. However, just before entering the competition, we discovered that our experimental results were identical, down to the data, to another team’s results from Rexinheim. Helpless, we had to suspend the competition temporarily.”
A murmur erupted in the room at Ultan’s words. The identical results and matching data could mean that Rexinheim plagiarized their experimental results. “Is there a traitor in the lab?” they thought.
The group speculated and discussed fervently.
Ultan announced that all lab personnel were temporarily forbidden from leaving the lab building until the situation was investigated thoroughly.
Amelia listened nervously, grabbing onto Catherine’s sleeve. “Super Catherine, is Mr. Farrell trying to lock us up? What should we do?”
Catherine frowned slightly but remained calm. “Don’t worry. Let’s see how things unfold.”
Chapter 679 The Prime Suspect
The laboratory’s large door was closed, and tension filled the air inside the lab.
This incident was really significant.
Not to mention the prestige of the Interstellar Championship trophy, just the data leakage from this experiment alone would be enough to shock the scientific community.
The project, which Eskana had always led, had its results stolen, and what was more, the country responsible for the theft was Rexinheim, a nation with a longstanding feud with Eskana.
If this news leaked, Styre University would surely be thrust into the spotlight, becoming the focus of the entire nation and possibly labeled as traitors collaborating with the enemy.
Everyone present understood the severity of the situation. Though there were murmurs of discontent, no one dared to voice objections.
Among all the people in the laboratory, Catherine and Amelia, the two youngest, displayed entirely different reactions. While Amelia’s hands trembled with nervousness, Catherine sat calmly on the side, sketching with paper and pen.
Although they had their phones with them, the school not only closed the main entrance to the lab but also blocked signals throughout the building. Their phones were rendered useless inside.
Without a phone to distract her and unable to be as composed as Catherine, Amelia reluctantly started a conversation with Catherine.
“Super Catherine, how can you still be so calm and drawing with such a big thing happening?” asked Amelia.
Catherine paused her pen, turned her head with an unwavering gaze, and said, “Since we can’t leave, we might as well do something. Don’t waste time.”
Amelia, unable to hold back, asked, ” Aren’t you worried?”
Catherine calmly responded, “It’s not like I did it. Why should I worry?”
After pondering for a moment, Amelia found it reasonable. Not doing anything wrong meant having nothing to worry about.
Just as she considered finding something to do calmly like Catherine, Ciaran from their research group suddenly stood up. “Dear professors, our project initially established an internet-connected anti-theft system.
In theory, it would be impossible for someone to steal our experimental data through the network.”
Then he added, “Unless someone infiltrated our lab and copied the data from the professor’s computer using a USB drive.”
Ultan immediately realized the implications and instructed technicians to check the surveillance.
Marshall’s office fell under technical protection, lacking internal surveillance. However, every corridor and outer wall of the lab had comprehensive monitoring.
If someone entered Marshall’s office to take the data, traces would undoubtedly be left behind.
Soon, the technicians identified an issue. Ultan personally examined the surveillance footage, and his face darkened instantly.
One of the school authorities standing nearby recognized the person in the surveillance footage, and his expression turned grim. However, he cautiously sought Ultan’s opinion. “Do we need to hand her over to the National Security Bureau directly?”
Ultan furrowed his brow in hesitation for a long time. “How could it be her? Now, this is trouble,” he thought.
“Go and get Catherine and Marshall here,” said Ultan.
“Okay.”
Catherine was earnestly working on her drawing when suddenly, a shadow loomed over her.
She paused, looked up, and saw Ultan’s secretary, accompanied by several security personnel, standing before her. “Catherine, Mr. Farrell wants you to come over.”
In an instant, the entire laboratory’s attention focused on Catherine. No one knew what had happened, and whispers started to fill the room. Some even directly pointed fingers at Catherine.
“Could it be her who leaked the information?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. She’s Professor Hartley’s favorite student. What benefit would she get from doing such a thing?”
“Who knows? Maybe she was a spy from the beginning. With such abilities, she could have become a researcher at a top laboratory abroad, but she chose to come to our school as a freshman. Isn’t that lowering herself?”
The discussions grew louder, and the atmosphere around Catherine became more tense.
Amelia looked at Catherine with concern, then turned to plead with Ultan’s assistant. “Sir, is there a misunderstanding?” she said.
At this critical moment, Ultan’s assistant couldn’t reveal too much. He looked sternly at Amelia and said, ” Don’t ask what shouldn’t be asked.”
Catherine tidied up her sketches and handed them to Amelia. “Hold onto these for me.”
After saying that, she followed Ultan’s assistant away from her seat, remaining calm and showing no signs of panic.
Later, Catherine was brought into a small room. Besides her, there were several people: Ultan, Marshall, and a few imposing men in uniforms. They were tall and strong, exuding a terrifying aura.
Catherine casually pulled out a chair and sat down, seeming entirely indifferent to the people across from her.
The men in uniforms didn’t understand, finding Catherine’s attitude too arrogant and composed, not befitting a freshman. They began to suspect that Catherine was the problem.
From the beginning, Marshall didn’t believe Ultan’s suspicions. In his eyes, Catherine was not that kind of person.
In front of everyone, Ultan turned on the screen and directed it toward Catherine. “Is this person in the footage you?”
He was asking a question he already knew the answer to. Modern surveillance was clear enough not to require confirmation.
Understanding that Ultan was following protocol, Catherine respected him and responded, “Yes, it’s me, right outside Professor Hartley’s office.”
After Catherine spoke, everyone else remained calm, but Marshall erupted. ” My computer is heavily encrypted, and Catherine doesn’t know the password,” he said.
Seeing how Marshall couldn’t wait to defend Catherine made Ultan super pissed off. “This old fool didn’t even realize the situation,” he said inwardly.
If Catherine were really the culprit, Marshall’s defense would be a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment, posing a fatal crisis to himself.
He was risking his future. As a long- time friend, Ultan couldn’t bear to see Marshall jeopardize his own future like this. He stared at Marshall and sternly questioned, “Have you forgotten Catherine’s talent in computers?”
During the previous computer crisis, it was Catherine who cracked it. Even Winston’s computer team couldn’t solve the problem at that time, but Catherine worked it out.
Ultan’s harsh words made Marshall unable to retort. He suddenly felt that Catherine shouldn’t have been so excellent. Now, he didn’t even have a chance to excuse her.
Catherine was a bit moved when she saw Marshall and Ultan argue because of her.
Afterward, the uniformed personnel asked questions, and Catherine patiently answered all of them in consideration of Marshall’s protection. However, her answers provided no valuable clues.
Catherine explained that she only lingered for a moment before leaving. However, after her departure, the surveillance system malfunctioned. As the only person captured on surveillance near Marshall’s office, she became the prime suspect.
Chapter 680 Catherine Has Been Taken Away
Although no one wanted to believe it, Catherine was still listed as the prime suspect because, in the surveillance video, she was shown appearing at the door of Marshall’s office.
At that time, everyone had gone to eat. Catherine, however, suddenly appeared and lingered at the office door for quite a while, her actions strangely mysterious.
The investigation team had arrived, and despite Ultan’s desire to speak up for Catherine, he had to hand her over.
Marshall simply did not believe Catherine could be the leaker. He bet his future that she would never do such a thing.
To quell Marshall’s anger, the investigation team decided not to take Catherine away and opted to conduct an inquiry at the school.
This was the best result Marshall could fight for, and he came to Catherine feeling guilty. “Catherine, don’t worry too much. I will find a way to clear your suspicion.”
Catherine looked at Marshall, whose face was filled with wrinkles of anxiety, and calmly asked, “Is it worth it?”
Marshall hesitated for a moment, seemingly not understanding Catherine’s meaning.
Catherine asked casually, “Is it worth risking your future for a student?”
The calm tone angered Marshall unusually. He glared at Catherine, saying solemnly, “You are my student. As long as you are my student for a day, it’s worth any cost.”
She was his student, so he believed in Catherine’s character. He was a teacher, and students were like his children. Protecting his child at any cost was something he should do.
Catherine glanced at Marshall, her demeanor composed, and followed the investigation team away without any signs of being flustered.
The people in the investigation team were not Ultan’s group. In their eyes, Catherine was the prime suspect, and they naturally did not have a favorable attitude toward her.
Displeased with Catherine’s demeanor, the leading female investigator coldly rebuked her, “Hurry up! What are you dilly-dallying for?”
Catherine raised her gaze and cast a cold, intimidating glare, creating a powerful and frightening aura.
The female investigator was instantly frightened, frozen in place as if immobilized by the cold. The atmosphere in the corridor dropped to freezing point.
Just when the situation seemed to be spiraling out of control, a man’s appearance broke the deadlock. ” Catherine, right? Please follow me.”
Branden received the news while still in Casier.
Paxton hastily pushed open the study door and rushed directly to Branden.
Karl’s face immediately darkened. In his view, no matter how significant the matter, such a rash intrusion was entirely inappropriate. “Paxton, have you forgotten the rules of the Duncans? Is it because you’ve been around Branden for too long?”
Paxton bowed immediately, but instead of admitting fault, he first reported the situation to Branden. “Sir, the investigation team has taken Miss Swann away.”
Branden’s expression instantly turned grim. His menacing eyes were bloodthirsty, and his voice lacked any warmth. “What exactly happened?”
“Styre University’s experimental project data was stolen and taken by people from Rexinheim. They suspect Miss Swann is the leaker,” said Paxton.
Upon hearing the general overview, Branden stood up directly and walked toward the door.
Karl also realized the situation, his face looking extremely unpleasant. He couldn’t help but scold, “Why do some people always have an issue with Cassie? Are they all out of their minds?”
He turned around to see Paxton still bowing and angrily shouted, “Why are you still there? Hurry, make sure Catherine suffers no injustice. Otherwise, don’t bother coming back!”
“Yes!” Paxton realized and immediately straightened up, rushing after Branden.