Ch. 741..750

Chapter 741 After the Game

Halfway through the game, the Ace Team was leading all the way, while the Styre Team was still struggling to study the experiment steps in the early stages.

There was no miracle. At this pace, the Styre Team was going to lose for sure. However, under the leadership of Catherine, the Styre Team seemed to have not seen the incoming failure and was still proceeding with the game in order, utterly unaffected by the external.

Many audiences lost the desire to watch the game. A game without a cliffhanger was not worth watching. As the mentor of the Ace Team, Atticus even began to doze off in front of the global camera, showing his contempt and disdain for his opponent in this final.

The members of the Ace Team also showed great disdain for the Styre Team upon seeing this. However, they were not as careless as the Johnville Team. They would not relax on such a significant occasion. They never thought of the Styre Team as their opponent. The only one they wanted to defeat was themselves. So they were focused through the whole game.

As the game drew to an end, the Ace Team took the lead in completing the experimental project. They rang the bell. Surprisingly, the Styre Team also rang the bell.

The powerful sound impressed everyone. They almost focused all their attention on the Ace Team’s superb skills, which was more like a performance than an experiment. They didn’t even look at the Styre Team. And no one noticed when they completed the experiment.

Both sides had announced the completion of the experiments, and the judges required team members from both sides to submit their results before exiting the laboratory. The result would soon be out on site.

The Ace Team had started celebrating in advance that they had once again won the Bide Cup championship. And in everyone’s eyes, this match was already over.

Atticus hugged the team members while provocatively looking at Catherine. “Catherine, when I met you at Styre University, I appreciated your abilities. If you had been willing to follow me before, now you would have become a member of the Ace Team, successfully standing on the Bide Cup championship and receiving the highest honor. Unfortunately, you are too stubborn and disobedient. And you are going to pay for that.”

Catherine sat calmly on the bench, looking at Atticus, who was arrogant and constantly provoking. She didn’t even want to speak a single word to him.

Unfortunately, Atticus was not quite observant. He kept provoking when Catherine ignored him. “Catherine, you used to be arrogant. Why are you speechless now? Let me tell you, if you’re willing to obediently admit your mistake to me now and reflect deeply on what you’ve done before, I might show mercy and write a recommendation letter for you and make you a substitute member of the Ace Team.”

When people heard Atticus’s words, they began to envy Catherine. It was known that countless students in the scientific research community had set their life goals as entering the Ace Team, the beat team of Alton. As long as one could enter the Ace Team, one could access the world’s top projects, the most advanced experimental equipment, and the most advanced experimental topics. It could be said that the students of the Ace Team were a group of people standing at the top of the science pyramid.

Viola, who proposed to replace Catherine with Marlon, was outraged after hearing what Atticus said. She could not understand why so many people appreciated Catherine. She thought Catherine did not deserve it.

Thinking of this, she was so jealous of everything Catherine had. She turned to the people next to her and said, “No wonder Catherine insisted on finishing the game, knowing she would lose, so that the mentor of the Ace Team would see her and invite her to his team. What a heartless woman to sacrifice the whole team for her benefit. The Styre Team was humiliated because of her.”

Hearing what she said, many people changed their attitude toward Catherine from jealousy to hatred.

They did not understand why Catherine was invited to the Ace Team even after she lost the game. But they seemed to find the answer in Viola’s words.

There were increasing voices of dissatisfaction and questioning towards Catherine. Catherine, the subject of discussion, seemed to have shielded herself from the external and sat expressionless.

Viola became even more excessive when she saw Catherine remain silent. She pointed at Catherine and asked, ” Are you wordless because you feel guilty? Where’s your pride?”

Amelia could not bear to watch her shouting anymore. She was about to stand up and talk back when a voice from behind distracted her.

“I thought I heard a cow mooing at the door. So it was you yelling,” said Ronin, walking forward slowly with his arms crossed.

Branden was walking in front of him expressionlessly, identical to Catherine.

Hearing Ronin’s words, Viola blushed scarlet.

Calling her a cow in public was insulting. Viola suppressed her anger and retorted, “You are on the same boat with Catherine. You only want to save her from embarrassment by teasing me. That’s immoral.”

Ronin did not retort her. He put his arm on Amelia’s shoulder and asked, ” Amelia, do you know what ‘have a cow’ means?”

Amelia paused, not knowing Ronin’s intention. Ronin pointed at Viola and said, “She’s explaining it to you vividly.

11

Amelia figured out Ronin’s wordplay. She could not help but laugh out loud.

Viola’s face darkened, pointing at Ronin angrily. “How dare you!”

Seeing that she was not taking any advantage, she turned to Marshall. “Do you see that, Professor Hartley? Ronin is so filthy that he doesn’t deserve to be in Styre University.”

Marshall didn’t even glance at her, making his attitude very obvious.

Viola wanted to continue, but Branden did not give her a chance. “You have the nerves to shout here after you sold your teammates for benefits.”

What he said puzzled everyone. They focused on Branden, not knowing why he suddenly said such words.

Viola fidgeted about out of guilty conscience while Branden had not even said anything explosive. She asked, ” What do you mean?”

Branden did not even bother to answer her question. Paxton stepped up and said, “Mr. Duncan didn’t say anything yet. Why are you so eager to admit?”

Chapter 742 The Champion

Viola trembled furiously, accusing Catherine of joining forces with others to bully her.

But even Paxton did not take her seriously, let alone Branden and Catherine. Paxton sneered and looked at Viola, who was constantly condemning Catherine. “Why are you barking like a dog? Are you in such a hurry to get rid of suspicion? We haven’t mentioned that you sold your team to get the offer from a lab.”

“You are slinging mud on me. That’s a dirty lie!” shouted Viola, trembling with anger.

But the next second, Paxton slapped her in the face by showing everyone the most direct evidence. He threw the evidence in the air, which fell like snowflakes. They were late to get that evidence.

Facing the indisputable truth, Viola swallowed her arrogance. She yelled terrifiedly, “It’s a trap. You must have framed me!”

People were not fools. They knew very well whether she had been framed or not.

Paxton looked at those who were angry because of what Viola did. He could not help but continue, “Look at you guys. You claim to be geniuses. But you are easily manipulated by a woman.”

Paxton’s words were like ice water poured on those who were incited to make a fuss by Viola just now. Now, they glared at Viola with hatred, wanting to rip her off.

The voice of asking Professor Hartley to punish Viola was constant. Marshall was heartbroken already and tried to ignore the chaos. But he could not bear to be asked again and again. He looked at Viola disappointedly. Viola opened her mouth and nervously yelled, ” Professor Hartley, please!”

Marshall sighed deeply. “Since you are not willing to stay in our lab. It’s only right to let you go.”

When mocked by everyone and expelled by Marshall, Viola finally stopped pretending. “Fine. There’s no need to fake anymore. I’m leaving now. “With that, Viola turned around and left.

Seeing her leaving, Ronin wanted to stop her. But he was held back by Paxton. Ronin looked at Paxton with confusion. “Are you going to let her go so easily?”

Paxton looked calmly. He asked in reply. “Do you think Mr. Duncan will let go of those who slandered Miss Swann?

Ronin thought carefully, ‘He did make a sense. Branden was capable and extremely protective of Catherine.

Viola will be miserable after smearing Catherine like that. But why is Catherine so quiet today?’

Catherine sat still for a long time. And Branden remained by her side, silently guarding her. All of a sudden, Catherine raised her head. Her originally dim eyes glittered. “I’ve got it!”

“Got what?” asked Branden.

Catherine turned to look at him and said, “I’ve been thinking about the key point that caused our experiments to fail. I know how to break through technically.”

Branden knew Catherine had been spending a lot of time in the lab for an experiment on microchips. But she had not made it yet. Many top laboratories around the world were rushing to carry out this experiment. But currently, no one has successfully done it. She must have made a significant breakthrough to be so excited.

Branden reached out to stroke her soft hair and looked at her affectionately. ” Congratulations!”

Catherine raised her eyebrows at him proudly and said, “Not bad. I was inspired when carrying out the experiment in the competition.”

“Well done!” answered Branden.

People thought Catherine was sad about losing the game, so she sat there motionlessly for a long time after coming off the stage.

Only Branden knew Catherine must have been attracted by something, making her ignore the distractions and focus on her own.

Marshall was freshened up when he heard what Catherine said. He was going to ask in detail about her breakthrough. But suddenly, noises came from the stage. The host was there to announce the result of the game. “Congratulations to the Styre Team for winning the championship of the Bide Cup Challenge!”

Marshall widened his eyes and looked at the students around him with disbelief. He asked shockingly, “I didn’t hear that wrong, did I? We won the championship?” Incredible as it was, everyone heard that.

“I heard it, Professor Hartley! He said the Styre Team!” one student yelled excitedly.

Another student echoed, “Yes, I heard that, too!”

Many students were shouting, “Yes, the Styre Team won!”

After the announcement, the audience went wild. Instead of cheering and congratulations, an overwhelming wave of questioning swept over instantly. No one would believe the Styre Team would defeat the Ace Team and win the championship. Everyone thought it was impossible.

Hearing the announcement, Atticus stood up and slammed his hat furiously on the ground. He cursed in great anger, “How is that possible? The Styre Team is trash. There’s no chance they can win. There must have been covert deals.”

Everyone was in disbelief and subconsciously thought of covert deals.

But it would be impossible to play dirty on them in a country as powerful as Alton, where the Ace Team was the host team.

Given the doubts about the results of the competition, Richard Goodman, as the chairman of the competition committee, stepped forward. He invited the captain of the Ace Team to come on stage and show him the experiment result of the Styre Team. After a moment, the captain of the Ace Team reappeared. He stood in the center of the stage embarrassedly, holding a microphone and saying to the crowd, “Although I don’t want to admit it, we did lose.”

The result of the Styre Team experiment made the captain of the Ace Team admit that they had lost, indicating how capable the Styre Team was, or more accurately, how capable Catherine was. She alone supported the whole team.

Atticus still couldn’t accept the result and even rushed onto the stage, ignoring his image. He grabbed the captain’s collar, raised his eyes, gritted his teeth, and glared at him. “Bastard! Do you have any idea what you are talking about? How come we lost?”

The Ace Team, especially the captain, had been putting up with their new mentor for a long time. Now that Atticus was so rude to him, he felt no need to treat Atticus politely. He pushed him to the ground and glared at him. “What’s done is done. If you have a problem with that, you can experiment yourself.”

Now, Atticus was like a clown, looking fierce in a frenzy of rage. “No, this is impossible.”

Regardless of what Atticus said, the competition committee had already announced the results of the competition. As one of the participating teams, the Ace Team had also confirmed the result, and there was no doubt that the champion was the Styre Team.

After seeing the result confirmed, Eamon was still in a trance. He stared blankly at Catherine’s direction and muttered, “Catherine, are you a God?”

Chapter 743 The Appalling Truth

Catherine was not a God. But she did create a miracle. No one had ever thought that the Styre Team, ill- matched with the Ace Team and undermanned, would win the championship. Those who were deceived by Viola and withdrew from the game were regretful. They gave up a chance to be famous.

Marshall’s eyes were filled with tears of excitement. He was sorrowful of his inability to educate at first. But to his surprise, Catherine gave him such a delight. He wanted to thank Catherine for enlightening the dawn in his darkest night.

Marshall came to his senses from the surprise of winning the championship and was about to thank Catherine. He turned around only to find Catherine was leaving.

“Catherine, Where are you going? You should be on the stage to receive the award later,” asked Marshall.

“To the lab,” replied Catherine without turning around.

Looking at Catherine from behind in silhouette, Marshall expressed his amazement. “Catherine does not care about rewards or glory. All she has in mind is experiment. This is the quality that a researcher should possess. Do you understand?”

Hearing Marshall’s words, many students bowed out of shame because they had misjudged Catherine. They were not aware of their foolishness and ignorance until this moment.

Eamon looked at Catherine from far behind, feeling she was even greater now.

“Are we the champion?” The excited voice caught everyone’s attention.

Seeing Marlon was here, Eamon took the initiative to comfort him for not being able to attend the finals. ”

Marlon, don’t feel down. Although you didn’t have the chance to stand on the stage for the finals, you are young and capable of achieving your goal in the future. I have faith in you.”

Eamon was so focused on Marlon that he did not notice Marshall’s expression had changed.

Marlon looked at Eamon merrily and said, “Don’t worry about me, Eamon. I’m not frustrated at all. I’m aware of my ability. I feel so happy and proud that our team won the championship.”

Eamon looked closely at Marlon. He talked so innocently and smiled genuinely. Eamon sang praises for him inwardly. He thought, ‘Marlon and Catherine are alike. Both are capable and unimpressed by fame.’

With the development of the situation, Marshall could not keep the secret anymore. “Listen, I think there’s one thing you need to know.”

A few team members gathered around Marshall upon his words. Marshall coughed and asked them to keep the secret. Then he said, “That Marlon you saw in the second round of the match was Catherine in disguise.”

Everyone was shocked. This sounded unreal. Who would think that Catherine would disguise herself as Marlon to attend the game? It did not make any sense. Why would she do that?

Those team members wanted to ask for a reason, but Marshall stopped them. ” This is not for you to ask. After so many years in the lab, don’t you know what top secret is? Don’t ask about the arrangements made by the superiors.”

The others could only hold back their curiosity. It turned out that the best in the lab was still Catherine.

When Fergus saw the news in the hotel, he was so stunned that he dropped the glass on the floor. He even thought it was an illusion that Catherine was on the stage for the finals and won the championship. How was it possible?

The phone rang before he came to his senses from the astonishment. He reached for his phone subconsciously and answered it. “Fergus, how dare you lie to me? You are dead.”

Atticus’ furious voice came through the phone, making him realize what was happening. Thinking of Atticus’ dirty moves and the boss behind him, he eagerly explained, “Professor Sterling, please listen to me. I did give Catherine the medicine. I swear with my life. How dare I lie to you?”

“Then explain to me. How did she make it to the finals?” asked Atticus.

Fergus messed up with Catherine’s medicine to make sure she could attend the match but fell into a coma and became vegetative in the middle.

He didn’t know why things turned out completely different from what he had expected while everything was going according to his plan.

“I don’t know either, Professor Sterling. I really don’t know what’s going on,” said Fergus, trembling as he held the phone in his hand.

“You are fooling me around, Fergus. And I will make you pay for this. Just wait and see.” Atticus threatened and hung up.

Fergus stared at the unlit screen of his phone, not knowing what to do. It seemed Atticus would not let him walk off so easily. The only thing he could do was to run away. He could find a safe place to hide, lying low until the wind blew over. Anyway, there was still a large amount of money in his account now, enough for him to live comfortably without work for the rest of his life.

On the thought of this, Fergus began to pack up. Before he was done, the doorbell rang. “Room services. Professor Lynch, your meal is here.”

Fergus thought he still had time for a meal, so he opened the door.

He was ready to get his meal when a couple of men in black suits rushed in and pinned him down to the ground.

Fergus was appalled and struggled violently. “What are you doing? Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?”

“Fergus, you disappointed me.” A familiar voice caught Fergus’s attention. He stopped struggling and looked up. Marshall stood in the front, accompanied by a few leaders who came with the team for the Bide Cup challenges.

Marshall knew Fergus was utterly hopeless as he continued to argue.

“Fergus, you don’t have to struggle anymore. I gave you a chance. It was your greed that harmed you. Catherine knew from the beginning what you had done. You weaved the net for yourself,” explained Marshall.

Now, Fergus finally understood. No wonder Catherine was fine. She had found out the truth from the beginning. But she took advantage of the situation and tricked him into it. Fergus looked at Marshall with confusion. “So you and Catherine put on a show to trick me? Is it also a lie that you said you would do anything to win the championship?”

“No one tricked or lied to you. You are tasting the medicine of your evil deeds. If you hadn’t conspired with outsiders to poison Catherine, you would not end up like this,” replied Marshall.

Fergus was wordless and accepted his fate silently.

Chapter 744 Young and Powerful

Branden knocked on the door of the lab right at six pm. Catherine stopped the experiment when she heard the knocking. She knew who was there without looking. Only one man dared to interrupt her at this time. There was no one as principled and persistent as him.

After Catherine saved the experimental data, she turned off the computer. The experiment was not in a hurry. She found inspiration from the competition just now and made a breakthrough. She transferred all the subsequent data to Rodge and asked him to continue studying with Scott.

She put away everything and turned around to look at the man leaning against the door frame. “Let’s go.”

Branden grabbed her slim waist and whispered in her ear, “Do you want to eat outside or go home?”

With many things to handle, Catherine did not want to spend too much time on supper. “Let’s grab a bite outside.”

Seeing her frosty face, Branden knew what she was going to do.

He asked Paxton to arrange a restaurant that Catherine liked and ordered in advance. They drove there later. Tonight was not a good time to enjoy delicate food. They finished their meal quickly and got back to the car.

Paxton reported the latest information to them. “Mr. Duncan, Atticus is located. Are we going now?”

Branden glanced at Catherine, who showed no emotions on her face and nodded. Paxton immediately asked the driver to drive. He already had men guarded outside Atticus’s room in the hotel.

Atticus did not stand a chance to escape.

Atticus was still immersed in the failure of the match. He had just become the mentor of the Ace Team. And they faced the Styre Team in the finals, which had barely made the top three before. And they lost. Now, everyone blamed him for his inability and accused him of leading the team to failure.

The university ended his contract mercilessly and demanded huge compensation from him. Atticus thought, ‘I lost the game and failed to kill Catherine. How can I afford the compensation? I used to be proud. Now I’m broke and hated by everyone. I blame Catherine. If it were not for her, I would not end up like this.’

He got more and more outraged when he thought of this. He smashed the wine bottle on the wall. He swore to make Catherine pay for what she did and settle the accounts with her.

Atticus stared ahead viciously, imagining Catherine standing in front of him. He roared fiercely, “Catherine, you wait and see!”

The next second, a loud bang interrupted his thought. The closed door was kicked open from outside.

The person Atticus had just imagined stood right there casually. Catherine looked up and smiled weirdly. Her chilly gaze fell on him. “Professor Sterling, Are you looking for me?”

Atticus shook his head hard to ensure she was not an illusion of wine. She really was here.

After he became sober, Atticus was scared to death. He fell to the ground and stared at Catherine shockingly. ”

Why, why are you here?”

Catherine sneered. She raised her eyebrows and looked up and down at Atticus teasingly. “Maybe because you are thinking about me?”

Atticus almost wetted his pants. His face turned pale, and his body shrank back uncontrollably.

The more he retreated, the more Catherine advanced. He was cornered.

Catherine squatted down to grab his collar. Before she raised her fist, Atticus, who was still boasting not long ago, had already shouted out regardless of his image. “What are you going to do, Catherine? You are in Alton. You are going to jail for murder.”

Catherine looked at him, amused. She asked, “What do you think I’m going to do? Murder you? You don’t have to worry about that. Death is only too easy for you. And I don’t want to get my hands dirty for you.”

The disdain and pride in her laughs let Atticus know she was not bluffing. Atticus knew that he had no dignity in front of Catherine. She thought nothing of him. But he didn’t care about it because all he wanted was to live.

Catherine grabbed his collar and slammed it. Atticus was thrown onto the wall and fell to the ground again. He painfully covered his chest and struggled to look up at Catherine. He asked, “Can I ask you a question?”

Catherine looked around casually and answered, “Yes.”

Atticus could not wait to ask his biggest questions. “Why aren’t you poisoned? How did you I was behind the scenes?”

He knew it was impossible to strike back without knowing the scheme from the beginning. He just could not figure out how she saw through everything.

Catherine sneered at Atticus and said, I didn’t expect you to ask such a foolish question, but I’m in a good mood today. So you can get an answer. 11

“When Professor Lynch induced Paddy to poison me, I found out he was behind the scenes and then found out about you.”

She was poisoned and fell into a coma because of Paddy’s poison. But it was nothing in front of Connie. Connie was not only a skilled doctor but also an expert in neuropathy. She was more capable than Fergus.

Catherine came around after Connie’s treatment. After she sobered up, she asked Connie to cooperate with her and found out Fergus was behind the scenes. And then she found out about Atticus.

Atticus opened his eyes widely in shock. He could not believe what he heard. He thought he had a perfect plan that could defeat Catherine. It turned out he was the one that was caught in a spider’s web. He laughed crazily.

Catherine stood there with no expressions, letting him laugh out loud as if she was watching a clown show that was not funny at all.

Atticus laughed for a while and stopped to glare at Catherine. “You think you’ve won? You can never win, Catherine. Never.”

Catherine did not even bother to drag him up. She stepped on him with one foot, looking down at him from a height like a king. “You go back and tell that old guy I’m at daggers drawn with the Breens.”

Catherine’s words gave him goosebumps instantly. He thought of the Breens as his trump card. But she already saw through it. Atticus looked at Catherine in shock and thought, ‘ How come she is so young yet powerful, as if everything was in control of her? Shane is my life-saving straw. Now that she knew about it. What would happen to me?’ He dared not imagine. Atticus stared at Catherine frightenedly and trembled. “What will you do to me? “he asked.

Chapter 745 A Hairdresser

Catherine threw Atticus in front of Paxton, who grabbed the limp and helpless Atticus and directly attacked him, leaving Atticus’s hands disabled.

In Paxton’s opinion, Catherine shouldn’t do such vulgar work, so he would take care of it.

“AHHH!” Atticus fell to the ground, crying out in pain.

Paxton coldly snorted, looking down at Atticus, who was lying on the ground. ” Is that all?” he thought. His speed of attack was fast enough, yet Atticus was still screaming like that. “You’re truly weaker than a woman,” Paxton commented in his mind.

Faced with Paxton’s disdain and scorn, Atticus had no ability to fight back. He had no idea what to do now. He didn’t even know what his future would be.

The successive defeats were discouraging enough, and now his hands had been disabled. How could he conduct experiments? Without his hands, he was worthless and would be mercilessly abandoned.

Catherine couldn’t even be bothered to spare Atticus a glance, simply turning and walking away.

Paxton followed and caught up with Catherine. “Miss Swann, are you just going to let him go like that?”

“His backers won’t let him off, so why dirty our hands?” Catherine replied casually.

Paxton thought Catherine’s response made sense. Someone else would teach Atticus a lesson.

Back at the hotel, Catherine lay wearily on the armchair.

“Feeling tired, huh?” asked Branden.

Catherine was silent momentarily, then said weakly, “A little.” She had competed in the morning and spent the whole afternoon in the lab, which was indeed exhausting.

Branden looked at her gently. “Take a rest. I’ll prepare some fruit for you!”

“I want to wash my hair!”

“Okay!” Branden agreed and then went to the bathroom.

Catherine didn’t understand why Branden went to the bathroom after she said she wanted to wash her hair.

A few minutes later, Branden emerged from the bathroom. The legs of his expensive tailored suit were rolled up to his knees, and the sleeves of his white shirt were also rolled up to his elbows.

Catherine had never seen Branden in such a style before. He looked like a fallen nobleman, which was quite interesting.

“What’s with this style of yours?” she asked.

Seeing Catherine in a good mood, Branden was pleased. “It just fits my current identity!” he replied.

“What identity?” Catherine asked.

“A hairdresser!” Branden answered seriously.

Catherine was stunned for a moment, and Branden made an inviting gesture to her, indicating for her to enter the bathroom.

Curious, Catherine walked towards the bathroom, wanting to see what Branden was up to.

As soon as she entered, she was shocked by the scene before her. Branden had transformed the bathtub into a hair-washing chair with a towel laid on top.

“Please!” Branden, like a dedicated hairdresser, warmly invited her.

Catherine walked over to the homemade hair-washing chair and lay down, and Branden turned on the shower, letting warm water gently pour onto her scalp.

As Branden massaged Catherine’s scalp with his fingertips, waves of relaxation swept over her, soothing her scalp and gradually relaxing her nerves. She closed her eyes comfortably, slowly enjoying it all. “Not bad, keep going!” she said.

Branden looked at her, enjoying herself, a gentle smile on his face.

She was spoiled, but what else could he do? He could only continue to spoil her.

Chapter 746 My Mother Didn’t Die

Upon waking up, Catherine felt aches all over her body, even more intense than the soreness from carrying a 100- pound load for six miles.

What was supposed to be a simple hair wash turned into something ambiguous as the water temperature rose, and their desire escalated, leading to a natural sex.

Catherine rested for a while. She was about to get up when Branden pushed the door open, carrying food in his hands.

Seeing the array of food, Catherine couldn’t help but smile in resignation. Since she had known Branden, her stomach troubles seemed to have miraculously disappeared, never bothering her again. Branden was always there, never forgetting to satisfy her stomach.

Branden set down what he was carrying and looked at Catherine with a gentle smile, his voice so indulgent as he said, “Freshen up and have something to eat. Then, you can do whatever you like.

Catherine nodded in agreement with Branden’s proposal.

The competition ended, and the Styre Team won the championship. Marshall said the school had promised them a three-day holiday in Alton, where they could go wherever they wanted before returning together.

Catherine had no interest in the victory banquet, and knowing her personality, Marshall helped her avoid it. Over the next three days, Catherine could finally take a good rest.

Branden also put his work on hold, ready to accompany Catherine for the next three days. She was held in his arms, savoring the food he had prepared for her.

Given more time, Catherine decided to attend to her affairs. “You still haven’t told me your purpose in contacting the Hacker Alliance?” she asked. She hadn’t forgotten the agreement she made with Branden before the competition. He had promised to tell her once the competition was over.

Branden tightened his grip on her waist slightly. He had promised not to hide anything from her if she wanted to know. And he would keep that promise forever. “Do you know my mother?” he asked.

Catherine nodded slightly. In Casier, everybody knew there was such a big shot from the Duncans.

Branden’s mother also came from a prestigious family, with a background comparable to the Duncans, and she was incredibly beautiful, earning the title of Casier’s number one beauty.

This fact was evident in Branden’s features. He didn’t resemble his father much. Instead, he inherited his mother’s beautiful and captivating appearance.

However, Branden’s parents were not together out of love. Their union was mainly due to the commercial needs of their families. This led to a strained relationship between Branden’s mother and father, causing her to be melancholic at a young age.

Catherine knew that Branden wouldn’t bring up his mother without a reason. ” I heard your mother was very beautiful, ” she said.

“Yeah,” Branden replied lightly, and in his expression, Catherine saw a rare hint of vulnerability and tenderness.

In Branden’s memory, his mother was indeed very beautiful. Despite the frequent arguments between his parents in front of Branden, his mother was always gentle and soft-spoken.

“My mother didn’t die,” Branden said.

Hearing this, Catherine was somewhat shocked. “Are you seeking information about your mother through the Hacker Alliance?” she asked.

“Yeah.” Branden’s eyes showed a hint of pain as he gradually recalled the past. When his father had an affair and was caught by his mother, his mother fell into extreme distress. A few years later, his mother passed away from illness. This was the story the Duncans and Branden’s grandfather had agreed to tell the public, but in reality, his mother had died by suicide.

For many years, Branden had believed this was true, until a few years ago when he accidentally discovered letters left by his grandfather, revealing that his mother had not actually died. Her death was just a facade, all part of a scheme. Before marrying into the Duncans, his mother had a first love who had given up on her due to the strong opposition from his family. Many years later, they unexpectedly met again, and upon learning about his mother’s situation, that man orchestrated a play, allowing her to escape her troubles.

In Branden’s arms, Catherine could feel his emotional turmoil. “Do you want to see her again?”

Perhaps Branden wouldn’t disrupt his mother’s life. Just seeing her again and confirming her safety would be enough for him. Branden knew Catherine would understand, and indeed, his speculation was correct. “I’ve investigated, and the people who took my mother were seen in Florona,” he said.

Branden’s words made Catherine understand why he insisted on having the chief of the Hacker Alliance personally involved.

Florona was a place that couldn’t be found on the world map, a small country that caused headaches for many major countries. It was a haven for criminals and a place for people to hide from their enemies. Once inside, one would be protected, but the conditions were strict. One had to become a citizen, and one could never leave without permission. Violating this rule would result in being hunted down and killed, no matter where in the world one might be. It was extremely difficult for other countries to intervene.

Due to its unique geographical location, the outside world had no way of entering Florona without the chief’s consent, let alone leaving alive. Over the years, only one person had successfully gotten into Florona and left unscathed, and that person hadn’t even joined Florona. That person was the chief of the Hacker Alliance, Catherine, and she remained the only one to achieve this feat.

Catherine set down her spoon and leaned gently into Branden’s arms. ” Don’t worry. You’ll get what you want,” she assured him. She had no intention of revealing her identity as the chief of the Hacker Alliance to Branden. If he knew, he would never allow her to take such risks. The place was dangerous, but since she had managed to go there once and return safely, she was certain she could find a way to do it again. She just couldn’t let him know about it.

In the afternoon, Branden went out to handle some business while Catherine went downstairs to join her group of friends to play games. When Wantel, who was talking to Zobber over the phone, found out that they were all with Catherine, he became jealous and started complaining. “Why do all of you get to be with Catherine while I have to be alone at home? I’m also in Alton! This is unfair!”

Zobber engaged in a heated argument with Wantel.

Upon hearing Wantel’s complaint, Catherine told Zobber, “Let him come over. I need to discuss something with him.”

In fact, there was no need for Zobber to relay the message. Upon hearing Catherine’s voice, Wantel eagerly prepared himself and said, “No problem, Catherine. I’ll be right there!”

In just twenty minutes, Wantel had traveled from the west side of a city to the east, arriving at the hotel where Catherine and the others were staying.

“Guys, here I am!” Wantel arrived with a large amount of food in an attempt to please everyone. As long as Catherine was around, Wantel behaved like a normal person. However, when Catherine was not present, Wantel turned into a cold, unapproachable person who suffered from agoraphobia, refusing to leave his house.

Seeing him set down the food, Catherine beckoned to him. “I need to talk to you.”

“Alright,” Wantel said, scurrying off under the disdainful gazes of the others.

Chapter 747 Hiding It from Branden

Catherine leaned against the railing, her face devoid of much emotion. Her icy eyes were vacant as if nothing could capture her attention.

When Wantel entered the room, he walked slowly to Catherine and stopped in front of her. “Catherine, do you have any orders? Just tell me,” he said.

“Do you have the information about the Duncan Corporation’s order?” Catherine asked.

“Yeah.” Wantel nodded.

“Tell the Duncan Corporation that the Hacker Alliance has accepted their order and demands,” Catherine instructed.

Upon hearing Catherine’s command, Wantel looked at her in surprise. ” Catherine, are you planning to reveal your identity?” Before, Wantel didn’t understand the relationship between Catherine and Branden, but now that Wantel knew it, he thought maybe in the future, the Duncan Corporation and the Hacker Alliance would be handled by the same person. If that was the case, it was normal to know some of the Hacker Alliance’s secrets. After all, Catherine and Branden might become a family in the future, so there was no need for them to keep secrets from each other.

Catherine glanced expressionlessly at Wantel. “No need to reveal my identity. Just accept the order in the name of the Hacker Alliance.”

“Not reveal it?” Wantel was somewhat shocked, seemingly not expecting Catherine to make this decision. He wanted to ask for clarification but was silenced by a glance from Catherine, swallowing back the words that had almost come out of his mouth. Her presence was so intimidating that just a single glance was enough to make him feel scared.

“Okay, Catherine, I see,” Wantel said.

“Go out,” Catherine said.

Wantel knew that Catherine wanted to rest, so he opened the door and walked out.

Catherine’s competition ended, and they could officially begin their free journey in Alton. Zobber was the most excited, having been bored for the past few days. Now, Catherine’s competition finally came to an end. Zobber immediately organized a trip and called everyone in.

Branden and the others arrived late, appearing after dark. After everyone gathered, Zobber stood up excitedly to announce, “To celebrate Catherine’s victory, how about we have a three-day trip before returning?”

Instead of immediately agreeing, everyone looked at Catherine, who seemed to be deep in thought. There was a moment’s delay before she responded to Zobber. “I agree!”

With that, cheers erupted.

Ronin raised his hands and shouted, ” Awesome, Catherine!”

When Catherine saw everyone in good spirits, her face showed a faint smile.

Zobber arranged for a boat overnight. Catherine stood on the deck, her hair tousled by the sea breeze. Suddenly, a warm sensation enveloped her as her body was surrounded by a soft towel. She turned her head to see Branden approaching, his long arms enveloping her tightly.

“Feeling cold?” he asked in a gentle voice.

Catherine instinctively leaned her head back, pressing it against his broad chest. “No. Are they still drinking?” she asked.

Zobber and the others were drinking wildly in the cabin. Catherine had a few drinks and felt her cheeks flush, so she came out to get some fresh air.

“Yeah,” Branden hummed, resting his head on Catherine’s shoulder, accompanying her to enjoy the refreshing sea breeze.

“Professor Hartley wants me to accompany him to an academic seminar before I return to the country because of the championship,” Catherine said.

Hearing this, Branden furrowed his brows. “Where to? For how long?” he asked.

“I’m going to Theisia for about three days,” Catherine said.

“I’ll accompany you,” he offered.

“No need.” Catherine decisively rejected Branden’s proposal. “You’ve been in Alton for a while. Loxton needs you. I’ll only be gone for three days.” She looked into his eyes with determination.

Three days wasn’t too long. Sensing Catherine’s firm attitude, Branden decided to comply with her arrangement. “Alright, promise me, don’t do anything risky,” he said.

Catherine leaned a bit closer to Branden, wearing a warm smile on her face, but she didn’t speak. Branden took her silence as consent.

Chapter 748 Trust

The three days of revelry passed in the blink of an eye. Catherine, however, didn’t return with the others. At the airport, as the group dispersed, she followed Marshall toward the boarding gate for another flight. Branden carried her luggage, following alongside.

As they reached the boarding gate, Branden showed no intention of leaving. Seeing this, Marshall smiled helplessly and remarked, “It’s good to be young. It makes one so affectionate. My wife doesn’t even help me pack when I leave. That’s quite unfair. I’ll go in and give her a piece of my mind. You guys take your time.”

Everyone in the Styre University knew Marshall and his wife had been deeply in love for decades. Marshall’s love for his wife was famous throughout the school. When he had free time, he would ride his old bicycle around the campus with his wife. Countless students envied their relationship.

Seeing Marshall leave, Catherine also prepared to enter the boarding gate. She reached out to Branden, saying, “I should go now.”

Branden handed her the luggage, wearing a somewhat helpless smile. ” The weather there has been quite gloomy lately. I put a cashmere sweater in the suitcase. Wear it if it gets cold.” Branden knew Catherine well. Even in the coldest weather, she wore thin clothes. It didn’t matter before when he wasn’t around, but now it did.

Catherine, unusually compliant, responded, “Okay.”

Seeing that she was somewhat obedient, Branden reluctantly let her go, reminding her before she left, ” Three days, right? If you’re late, I’ll come to pick you up.” Three days apart was his limit.

Catherine nodded and walked away with her luggage. Branden stood in place, watching her leave. When she didn’t even look back, he felt a sense of helplessness. “You ungrateful little girl, “he teased inwardly.

Catherine passed through the boarding gate and happened to meet Marshall, who had just finished his phone call. She handed him her ticket and politely said, “Thank you, Professor Hartley.”

Marshall took the ticket, sighed deeply, and with a worried look in his aged eyes, said, “I don’t know what you’re going to do, but as a man who hasn’t argued with his wife in decades, I want you to know that the most important thing in a relationship is trust. With enough trust, you can overcome any crisis.”

Catherine remained silent for a while before responding to Marshall, “It won’t happen again.”

Marshall couldn’t persuade her, so he had to give up. Catherine was good at everything, and he excelled in everything, except for her lack of insight into emotions. Perhaps this was the tragedy of geniuses. Their inner world was inaccessible to outsiders. People only saw their genius side, knowing that they stood at the pinnacle of the world no matter what they did, but they forgot that geniuses, just like all ordinary people, also had to experience the ups and downs of life.

“I’m off!” Catherine said.

Marshall carried his luggage and boarded the plane with his and Catherine’s tickets.

Two days ago, Catherine found Marshall and asked for a favor, wanting him to accompany her to Theisia for an academic conference. On the surface, they were going together, but in reality, only he was truly departing. Although he didn’t know Catherine’s true purpose, he believed that she must have her reasons for doing this, so he kept it a secret from everyone and agreed to her request.

After seeing Marshall off, Catherine turned and walked towards the boarding gate of the private airport.

Wantel breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Catherine appear. He had done this behind everyone’s back, and if the others found out, he would be in big trouble. After all, just dealing with Zobber alone would give him a headache.

“Catherine, are you really sure about this?” Wantel asked.

Catherine glanced at him, and he immediately shut his mouth, not daring to say another word. She then quickly climbed into the helicopter.

After seeing Catherine off, Branden returned to Eskana with the others.

“Boss, there’s news from the Hacker Alliance. The chief of the Hacker Alliance has agreed to take the order, but the payment has doubled.” Francis reported the latest news to Branden.

Upon hearing this, Paxton couldn’t help but laugh. “Humph, didn’t they say they would never compromise on principles?”

Francis shrugged disdainfully. “Money talks. I heard that the Hacker Alliance hasn’t taken any orders recently. Maybe they need money.”

Lately, for some reason, the Hacker Alliance had almost stopped taking orders. They released a statement saying that the members were on vacation, but who would leave money on the table? It was also possible that there was some internal crisis going on.

“Give it to them!” Branden gave the order.

As long as the Hacker Alliance was willing to take the order, Branden could pay as much as he needed to.

Receiving the order, Francis immediately responded, “Yes, Boss!”

Meanwhile, Branden and the others were discussing matters in the inner room while Ronin and Zobber sat outside chatting.

With Catherine absent, Ronin appeared somewhat listless, lacking his usual vigor. “Those old folks at Styre University are really annoying. The competition is over, yet they’re still bothering Catherine,” he complained.

Hearing this, Withal interjected, ” That’s the Bide Cup, man. Catherine single-handedly led a second-rate team to victory. Do you understand what that means?”

Zobber chimed in, “It’s almost like a genius player who leads the Eskanese national football team to win the World Cup.”

This description immediately conjured vivid images in everyone’s minds. It was more than just a loser’s comeback; it was practically the creation of the ninth wonder of the world.

Withal gave Zobber a thumbs-up, praising her for her accurate description. “With such great honor, the external invitations are almost overwhelming Styre University’s inbox. Professor Hartley probably couldn’t refuse them all, so he’s taking Catherine to attend a few events just to go through the motions,” Withal remarked. “If not for that, given Catherine’s personality, how could she agree to go?”

Ronin pondered, finding Withal’s point reasonable. Catherine detested these serious academic conferences the most. If she wanted fame, she would have been at those seminars and academic conferences ten years ago. There was no way she would wait until now. She just wanted to show Marshall some respect.

“Thank goodness it’s only for three days; otherwise, it would be torture!” Ronin commented.

Zobber mysteriously smiled, glancing towards the inner room, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. “Don’t worry, Catherine won’t be gone for too long. If she were, we wouldn’t need to be in such a rush; the big shot inside would have gone to fetch her first.” Zobber’s tone carried a hidden message, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

The most anxious person now was not them, but the big shot sitting in the inner room.

Chapter 749 The Mysterious Island

Catherine followed Wantel from Alton to Snake Island on a private plane. Upon disembarking from the plane and faced with all kinds of poisonous snakes in the dense bushes, Wantel couldn’t help but shudder all over, but Catherine didn’t even frown.

“Catherine, let me accompany you,” Wantel said, concerned. He was worried sick about Catherine. This time, she was going to Florona alone, and he found it terrifying to even think about it. Florona was an eerie place, and once outsiders entered, they would never have a chance to leave. Last time, Catherine managed to come out of Florona solely relying on her strong physique and extraordinary intelligence. Even so, it was a close call. This time, he wondered if she could come out safely.

“No need!” Catherine refused Wantel’s proposal without hesitation. That place was too dangerous, and she could handle it alone. She didn’t want to get Wantel in trouble.

Wantel knew that once Catherine made a decision, no one could change her mind. He knew he couldn’t persuade her, so he could only do his best to help her. “Catherine, since I can’t accompany you, I’ll stay on Snake Island and wait for you.”

Catherine scanned the restless, poisonous snakes nearby and chuckled. “What? Are you not afraid of snakes anymore?”

Just mentioning the word “snake” made Wantel shudder. He was scared, but he was willing to sacrifice everything for Catherine. He looked at Catherine with a serious expression and said, “I’m not afraid of them,

Catherine, really. I’ll wait for you here until you come back.” He was very serious without a hint of joking in his tone. Although he couldn’t go to Florona with Catherine, being closer to her was enough to comfort him.

Florona was a mysterious place in West Patrific. Very few people knew its true location, and Catherine was one of them. To reach Florona, one had to pass through Snake Island which was full of poisonous snakes. For those unfamiliar with the island, it was a death sentence to set foot there.

They had been to Snake Island before and had studied the poisonous snakes there. Connie developed a universal serum capable of neutralizing the venom of the snakes. She also created a special ointment with a peculiar smell that, although unpleasant, could keep the snakes at bay, even preventing venomous creatures from coming near.

Between Snake Island and Florona, there was a stretch of sea with a peculiar feature. Regardless of whether it was a ship or a plane passing through here, the radar automatically failed.

The sea was rough with numerous whirlpools. For foreign ships and planes entering this area, the chances of survival were slim. Only the ships from Florona knew how to avoid the whirlpools and safely navigate this sea area. This was also the reason why even if the outside world knew the coordinates of Florona, they couldn’t enter. At the same time, this was also the reason why people couldn’t leave Florona. For so many years, only Catherine was an exception.

As the sun was about to set, Catherine didn’t have much time to waste here. She had only asked Branden for three days. If she couldn’t return within three days, according to Branden’s personality, he would definitely investigate the matter thoroughly. Once he knew she had come to Florona, he would definitely rush over, and that would be the real trouble.

Right now, Catherine could only act quickly and decisively, striving to complete the mission within three days, so that even if Branden found out after she returned, the matter would already be settled, and he wouldn’t be able to do much about it.

“Catherine, please be careful. If anything happens, contact me, and I will bring people to find you,” Wantel said as he repeatedly reminded Catherine while seeing her off on the boat. Catherine waved to him and left.

The strong magnetic force in the sea area rendered even the compass useless, let alone the navigation system. A large ship would be too conspicuous and easily noticed by the people from Florona, which might cause trouble for her. Therefore, Catherine decided to enter Florona on a small boat. She had crossed this sea area once before, and with her fantastic memory, doing it again wasn’t difficult.

The dangers of this journey were obvious to Catherine. The seemingly calm sea surface could turn ferocious in the next second, and a huge wave could easily tear the small boat to shreds.

Fortunately, Catherine’s luck on this trip was not too bad, and she didn’t encounter extreme weather. Relying almost entirely on her memory of the route, she made her way to the vicinity of Florona. It was monitored from all sides, and to enter, one could only go through the northernmost cliff.

Catherine had to climb the hundred- yard cliff with her bare hands to reach Florona. This was almost an impossible task, but in order to avoid alerting the guards, she still chose the most difficult path. She arrived at the northern cliff and, after hiding the boat, took out the climbing equipment to prepare for the ascent.

Unlike regular outdoor rock climbing, the cliff here had become extremely smooth after years of being washed by the sea. Even if the earth were turned upside down, it would be easy to slip on it, let alone climb it with bare hands. Even for a climbing expert like Catherine, such a decision required exceptional care and caution.

Luckily, before setting off, Catherine had brought the suction cup gloves developed by Wantel. These gloves simulated the palm of a frog, allowing her hands to easily adhere to the smooth surface. With the help of these gloves, Catherine slowly climbed the hundred-yard cliff and successfully entered the territory of Florona.

Catherine had only just entered this territory, but finding Branden’s mother within it would be even more challenging than landing on Mars.

Catherine crept forward, taking advantage of the gradually darkening sky, which provided her with excellent camouflage. As the sky gradually darkened, she quietly arrived at an uninhabited area and changed into the unique clothing of Florona.

In this place, most women covered their faces with veils to hide their features. So, Catherine swapped her usual attire for a dress and put a veil on her face as a disguise.

Catherine’s priority now was to solve the accommodation problem for tonight. There were no hotels on the island of Florona. Everyone had a house

here. As long as one became a citizen, each household could receive a house.

In the economically developed Florona, citizens relied on the organization’s distribution of necessities. They could live peacefully here without even contributing too much.

No one knew the economic source of Florona. They seemed to receive a continuous income without doing anything. Some had speculated that Florona’s economic source mainly relied on donations because every citizen admitted to Florona had to offer all their property. However, the number of citizens admitted to Florona each year was pitifully small, and even if those people were all extremely wealthy, their assets were not enough to provide for the lives of all the people on the island.

Florona’s assets, like the mysterious island itself, were completely inscrutable to the outside world.

Chapter 750 Catherine’s Servant

The night had grown late, and Catherine had not entered the city. If she had appeared in the city at that moment, it would have easily attracted the attention of the guards. If she had been caught and questioned, her trip might have ended up being trapped in Florona.

Catherine found a patch of woods and took shelter in the trees, using the dense foliage as cover. This was a mandatory exercise for those undergoing wilderness training, allowing them to sleep anytime to provide their bodies with the essential rest. Catherine was exceptionally skilled in this, ensuring her body remained steady even on a branch.

In the quiet of the deep night, Catherine could occasionally hear the sounds of insects and birds in the peaceful woods. Catherine took out a satellite phone. There was no network signal, and this satellite phone was the only way to communicate with the outside world.

Suddenly, Catherine found herself missing Branden for a moment. And perhaps it was a sense of connection, as Branden, who had just finished work in Eskana, also took out his phone. At this time, Catherine should have arrived at the hotel. He made a video call, feeling a flood of longing despite only a few hours of separation. As the screen lit up, his eyes sparkled with anticipation.

The phone rang for a long time, but the video call was never answered.

Thinking that Catherine might have just landed and hurried off to the lab, Branden ended the video call request.

[Remember to eat on time!] After sending the message, Branden put away his phone.

Knock, knock, knock…

The abrupt knocking interrupted Branden’s thoughts. He looked towards the entrance and said coldly, “Come in!

Paxton entered, standing respectfully three steps away from Branden. “Boss, the car is ready. Are you ready to leave?”

“Yes, I’ll be down in a moment.” Branden put away his things and then stood up. With Catherine away from Loxton for a few days, he had the opportunity to tie up the remaining loose ends. The Bide Cup had ended, but the events during the cup were not over. Since the other party dared to lay hands on those around him and crossed his bottom line, they should be prepared to pay the price.

With this in mind, Branden’s expression gradually turned cold. After all, his tenderness was reserved only for Catherine.

As the sky gradually lightened, Catherine, who had rested for the night, suddenly felt full of energy.

Setting off from Snake Island, she had endured strong wind and cold rain and climbed a hundred-yard cliff before finally reaching Florona. Even though she had strong physical endurance, she felt a little tired, and this night of rest was the best way for her to regain her strength.

With a skillful turn, Catherine jumped from the tree and landed steadily on the ground. After adjusting her veil and picking up her belongings, she disguised herself as a citizen of Florona and headed toward the city.

According to the clues found by Wantel, the man who took away Branden’s mother had indeed entered Florona. If Branden’s mother were still alive, she would likely be with this man, her first love.

Florona was an incredibly eerie place. Its inhabitants were highly obedient to be allowed to live there, never going against the directives issued by the Florona Committee. Catherine dared not inquire with them, as she could be reported and ousted in the blink of an eye.

With her head down, Catherine made her way into the ancient city, relying on her strong memory to guide her to a secluded stone house.

Knock, knock, knock…

Catherine gently rapped on the wooden door of the stone house. The noise caught the attention of someone inside, and a tall man with a stern face slowly emerged from the house.

“Who’s there?” His tone made it clear that he was not pleased to be disturbed.

After he opened the door, Catherine looked up at him with a calm expression and said casually, “Long time no see.”

The man’s eyes widened in astonishment when he recognized Catherine.

“Won’t you invite me in?” she asked.

Her words snapped the man out of his shock, and he quickly stepped aside, respectfully inviting Catherine inside.

Sitting in the man’s warm stone house, Catherine sipped the hot coffee he had prepared for her while he sat beside her, nervously rubbing his hands back and forth.

After hesitating for a while, the man finally spoke up. “Miss Swann, how come you came to the island?”

Catherine glanced at him and whispered, “I came to see you. Do you believe that?”

The man was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Catherine to joke with him. In his memory, she had always been a serious person, strong and unyielding, like a goddess, cold and emotionless. But at this moment, Catherine seemed to exude a down-to- earth air of vitality.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Catherine asked.

The man chuckled softly. “I didn’t expect you to change so much after a few years, Miss Swann.”

“Is that so?” Catherine looked into the distance with a casual reply.

The man’s name was Amos Buck, whom Catherine had encountered in Florona last time. He owed Catherine his life; if not for her, he would have perished long ago. At the time, he had vowed to repay her by becoming her servant for life. Although he hadn’t stayed by Catherine’s side in recent years, he had never forgotten his promise.

Catherine knew that since Amos had come to Florona, it meant he didn’t want to have any contact with the outside world. Therefore, when Catherine decided to leave the island, she didn’t take him with her.

After finishing her coffee, Catherine placed the cup on the table and then told Amos the purpose of her visit. When Amos heard her intentions, his expression became deeply troubled. ” Miss Swann, you know that everyone who comes to the island must abandon their past and accept the new identity given by the Committee to live here. It won’t be easy for you to find someone here.”

In response to Amos’s persuasion, Catherine nonchalantly replied, “None of the things I have to do are easy.”