Ch. 941..950
Chapter 941 We Are Friends
Catherine followed Thomas to Aaron’s courtyard, where they found Aaron and Rylan playing chess. Thomas recognized Rylan and glanced at Catherine. “What is he doing here?”
Catherine casually replied, “He’s the ungrateful grandson Aaron mentioned. Thomas frowned, surprised by this unexpected connection.
Upon hearing Catherine’s words, Aaron laughed. “Miss Swann is right; this is my ungrateful grandson.” He then urged Rylan to give up his seat to Thomas.
“Please have a seat, Mr. Theo,” said Rylan as he stood up.
Thomas sat down and glanced at Catherine, who said, “I’ll take a stroll. Aaron’s courtyard is lovely.”
The courtyard, meticulously tended for generations, exuded charm in every detail, which Catherine appreciated.
“Do you like this courtyard?” A deep, gentle voice came from behind her, quite pleasant.
Catherine turned to Rylan. “It feels very comfortable to be here,” she replied.”
Rylan agreed, “I like it too.”
As Catherine quietly strolled and admired the scenery, Rylan stood nearby, silently watching her. After a while, Catherine grew tired and sat down. A servant brought her a cup of coffee and some snacks. The fragrant coffee and delightful snacks provided a pleasant break.
“Care to join me for a cup of coffee?” she asked.
Catherine’s invitation caught Rylan off guard. A faint smile graced his face as he took a seat opposite her.
Catherine raised an eyebrow, asking, ” Why do you look so surprised?”
Rylan honestly admitted, “I thought you’d despise me. I didn’t expect you to invite me for coffee.”
Catherine chuckled. “We are friends, and you haven’t done anything wrong. Why should I despise you?” Her simple words left Rylan speechless.
It was only after a long while that Rylan finally broke the silence. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I’m perfectly fine,” she replied.
Rylan’s voice was barely audible as he murmured, “That’s good.”
Catherine didn’t respond, quietly enjoying her coffee and the beautiful scenery.
Later, while having dinner with Thomas, Catherine received a call from Withal. “Catherine, Ronin has filled you in, right?”
“Yes,” Catherine replied calmly, showing no change in expression. “Any updates?”
Withal replied, “Yes, I found something. Do you want to take a look?
Catherine then ordered him to email the information and promptly ended the call.
Thomas, noticing the abrupt ending of the call, remarked, “Didn’t you plan to rest for half a day? Now you’re back to work?”
Catherine nodded, remaining silent.
Thomas complained to Aaron, “Young people don’t take care of themselves. I told her to rest for half a day, but here she is, thinking about work again!”
Aaron’s eyes darkened as he sighed. It’s true. They never take care of themselves.”
Rylan’s eyes darkened at these words.
Chapter 942 Find Something Amusing?
When Branden arrived, Rylan had just left. Hearing footsteps behind her, Catherine turned to see Branden walking towards her. “Why are you here?” she asked.
His cold eyes softened. “I wanted to take you to dinner. I Heard you and Mr. Theo were here, so I came to take you back,” he explained.
Catherine, unfazed by his knowledge of their whereabouts, asked if he had eaten. After confirming, they left with Thomas.
During the car ride, Thomas noticed Catherine’s lack of intention to rest and chatted with her. “Are you taking the day off tomorrow?” he asked.
Catherine jokingly replied, “Are you planning to make me play chess with you?”
“If you’re willing, that would be great. You’re always cooped up in the lab, so it would do you good to come here and get some fresh air,” Thomas said.
Catherine, unable to refuse, agreed to- consider it. “Alright, we’ll see how it goes tomorrow,” she said, glancing at Branden, who appeared quite content.
“Find something amusing?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.
Branden quickly raised his hands in surrender. “I wasn’t laughing at you. I was just happy,” he clarified.
Catherine gave him a look. “So, what’s got you so happy?”
“I’m happy that you followed Mr. Theo’s advice. I’ve advised you countless times to rest more and not spend all your time in the lab, but you never listened,” he said. “Mr. Theo just casually mentioned it, and you agreed to consider it. Though I feel a little envious, I’m quite happy.” After saying this, he looked at her with a smug expression.
Catherine smiled, surprised that Branden could be so delighted over such a small matter.
“Mr. Theo, if you’re not busy, stay in Loxton a little longer. We need you here!” Branden said. Thomas saw through his intentions and readily agreed to stay longer. ” Well, I’ll stay longer, if you don’t mind.
“That’s great!” Branden quickly responded, fearing Thomas might change his mind. Having a skilled doctor like Thomas to care for Catherine was invaluable, and he was determined to make Thomas stay longer to look after her.
Upon returning to the apartment, Catherine headed straight to the bathroom. Exhausted, she just wanted to freshen up and rest. After a quick tidy, she emerged from the bathroom.. Unintentionally, her exceptional hearing allowed her to hear the conversation in the study from the hallway.
“Don’t call me again. I can only get you so far.” Branden’s usually decisive and cold tone now carried a hint of helplessness. He was known for his confidence in the business world, so who could make him speak in such a manner?
Chapter 943 She’s Quite Impressive
Branden hung up the phone and stepped out of the study, only to find Catherine standing blankly in front of the bathroom, with water droplets still clinging to her hair. Without her usual aloofness, she exuded a touch of homey charm.
“Why didn’t you call for me earlier?” His voice brought Catherine back from her reverie. She turned with a vacant look, a hint of impatience in her expression and tone.
“I just came out!” she said.
Her cold demeanor didn’t faze Branden. After spending so much time together, he could read her expressions well. He knew she was tired and a bit impatient.
Grabbing a towel, Branden lifted Catherine and carried her to the bedroom with steady steps. Gently placing her on the bed, he used the towel as a cushion behind her head.” Take a rest. I’ll blow-dry your hair,” he offered.
Catherine was truly exhausted, and Branden’s caring behavior wasn’t anything new. She accepted it without a second thought.
Her hair wasn’t very long, so within less than ten minutes, it was completely dry. Branden skillfully dispensed two pumps of serum, warmed it in his palms, and evenly applied it to Catherine’s hair.
After finishing all this, Branden tidied himself before lying next to Catherine, keeping her company as she rested. His hand rested on her flat stomach. Her years of exercise gave her a rare set of abs for a girl. Beneath her flat stomach, however, a new life was taking shape.
He gently caressed her belly, afraid of accidentally hurting her. The lonely and unbearable night became so beautiful with Catherine by his side.
When Catherine woke up, Branden was nowhere to be found in the room. Only a table full of breakfast greeted her, with a wide variety of small portions, perfectly catering to her appetite. She sat down, enjoying the lovely morning and the meal.
Soon, her phone rang. It was Withal calling. She swiped to answer and put it on speaker, too lazy to lift the phone.
“Hey, Catherine, did you forget to check the message I sent you?”
Catherine had indeed forgotten, and if it weren’t for Withal’s reminder, she wouldn’t have remembered at all.
“I’ll check it now,” she replied.
Withal was surprised by Catherine’s recent forgetfulness but didn’t say much, agreeing to call back in a few minutes.
Catherine opened her email and found the message from Withal. It was quite detailed, but luckily, she was a fast reader. In just a few minutes, she went through the ten or so pages of the document.
After finishing her oatmeal, she casually called Withal back. As soon as the call connected, she heard Withal’s voice on the other end.
“Catherine, did you go through the documents?”
Catherine nodded slightly. “She’s quite impressive.”
“What…” Withal was shocked. He hadn’t expected Catherine to make such a comment.
“Catherine, are you sure you read the documents I sent?”
“I did, and she’s indeed impressive. Did I say something wrong?”
The girl’s name was Selene Miller, just returned from Alton after completing her doctorate in artificial intelligence. Her father used to be the driver for the Duncans, specifically responsible for Branden’s travel.
“In that case, she could be considered Branden’s childhood sweetheart,” she commented.
Even though Selene was just a servant, she grew up alongside Branden. Regardless of her social status, she could be seen as his childhood sweetheart.
Withal was speechless. He wondered whether it was a blessing or a curse for Branden to have a girlfriend like Catherine who didn’t seem to get jealous. If his beloved woman had reacted so calmly to such a situation, he might have had to seriously consider whether she truly loved him.
“Should I keep an eye on her, Catherine?” Withal inquired.
“Don’t bother,” Catherine said coldly. She didn’t like to fret over uncertainties. If this woman really had something going on with Branden, she could easily find another man.
Finishing her breakfast, Catherine headed to the laboratory. Even though Marshall had told her not to go to the laboratory yesterday, she had nothing else to do at home, so she might as well get some work done there.
To Catherine’s surprise, Selene came to her.
“Are you Catherine?” Selene asked, her
pretty eyes scanning Catherine from. head to toe, taking in her appearance.
Selene was indeed a beautiful girl, but not quite as arrogant as Catherine had imagined. Instead, she exuded a cold aura.
Catherine gave her a cold look and said in a detached tone, “What do you want?
Selene smiled faintly. “Nothing much. I just heard about a talented student named Catherine at Styre University and wanted to meet her.” She reached out her hand, smiling brightly, but there was a hint of disdain in her eyes, revealing her true feelings despite her outward appearance.
“Hello, I’m Selene Miller, a Ph.D. in artificial technology and biology from Avon University. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”
Avon University was one of the world’s. most renowned universities. The students who graduated from there were among the best and brightest, especially a double major Ph.D., a level of achievement reached by only a few geniuses.
Every time Selene mentioned her qualifications, she would receive countless admiring and envious looks. She had heard about Catherine’s impressive abilities, and she believed in her own capabilities as well. Her credentials were the best proof of that.
However, she was disappointed this time. She didn’t see any change in Catherine’s expression as if Catherine hadn’t heard her words at all, which was so frustrating.
“Miss Swann, it seems you’re not interested in me,” Selene remarked.
“Hmph.” Catherine sneered. “Do I know you? Why should I be interested in you?”
This response immediately darkened Selene’s expression, but she didn’t show it, maintaining her inner pride. ” In that case, I won’t disturb you, Miss Swann,” Selene said, turning to walk away. However, as she took a few steps, she heard Catherine’s voice behind her.
“Since you’re from Avon University’s biology department, you should know Professor Bieber, right?”
Selene stopped in her tracks, turning to look at Catherine with a smug expression. “Professor Bieber is one of my mentors. Did you want to meet him, Miss Swann?”
Chapter 944 Are You Kidding?
Selene had initially assumed that Catherine was like everyone else, seeking to use her connections to meet renowned professors. However, Catherine’s next words made her wish she could disappear.
“Not really. Six months ago, Professor Bieber emailed me, inviting me to be a visiting professor at Avon University. I was busy at the time and declined. Since you are Professor Bieber’s student, I thought you could pass on my regards.”
Selene’s expression froze. She believed Catherine wasn’t lying. If Catherine was indeed lying about knowing Professor Bieber, it would easily be exposed and embarrassing. Catherine’s confident statement indicated she truly. knew Professor Bieber and had been invited to be a visiting professor.
Selene, proud of her achievements as a Ph.D. graduate from Avon University, was surprised by Catherine’s greater accomplishments.
“I have to go,” Catherine said, turning away.
Selene watched her leave, filled with jealousy. It seemed that Catherine not- only had Branden’s love but also excelled in such a remarkable way, which was unfair.
Meanwhile, Finn, tasked with the threat from Ronin, approached Black Robe. “Boss, Zobber wishes to see you.”
“Let her come,” came the cold response. Finn promptly carried out Black Robe’s order.
Soon, Zobber received word and was brought before Black Robe. They stood at a distance, with Finn blocking Zobber from approaching. “Don’t come any closer!”
“Hmph!” Zobber snorted. “What a coward. I came alone, yet you don’t even dare to face me!”
Her boldness irritated Finn, who stood nearby, his brows furrowed.
Black Robe, however, remained unfazed. Zobber had always been arrogant. If she were too submissive, he’d doubt if she were truly Zobber.
“Miss Zobber, maintaining distance is a sign of mutual respect. If you truly wish to approach me, feel free to come and see my face!” Black Robe said.
Despite the seemingly calm tone, there was a strong warning in her words. Zobber could sense it. If she truly saw his face, she might not make it out of that door today. She pulled out a chair and sat down. “Well, I’ll just chat with you here.”
“Humph.” Black Robe chuckled, the pleasant sound echoing in the empty room, seemingly mocking Zobber’s timidity, making her uncomfortable. If not for her ongoing mission, she would have given him a good slap to show her strength.
“Quit the theatrics and state your terms!” Zobber huffed.
“Miss Zobber, I never expected you to betray Catherine.”
Zobber remained composed, her cold eyes carrying a mocking smile as she looked upward. “This is a world where self-interest reigns supreme. You’ve done so much. But what is it for? Let’s be honest. It’s all about money. You don’t lack money, yet you’re still struggling. Since we’re the same, why do you have to mock me?”
Black Robe applauded and praised, Well said. We both prioritize self- interest. With aligned goals, everything else can be negotiated.”
“Enough talk, state your purpose!” Zobber was growing impatient. She despised the man’s fussiness.
Seeing Zobber so straightforward, Black Robe didn’t hide his intentions.” I’ll give you what you want, as long as you can get what I want.”
“What do you want? Catherine’s life?” Zobber boldly guessed, considering it the most likely possibility.
However, Black Robe shook his head and denied her guess. “You’re right about the killing, but the target isn’t Catherine.”
“Then who?” Zobber pressed on.
Black Robe slowly uttered a name. ” Branden Duncan.”
Hearing this name, Zobber widened her eyes in disbelief. “Are you out of your mind? Branden? Don’t you know who he is?”
Black Robe chuckled, his masked face showing only his teeth, giving off a chilling vibe. “You even betrayed Catherine, didn’t you? So what’s there to be afraid of?”
Zobber sneered. She was brave, but not foolish. “I love money, but I don’t want to get myself killed. Branden is the head of the Duncans. Apart from his terrifying abilities, just his guards could easily take me down. I can’t help you. You’d better find someone else,” she said, standing up to leave. As she took a step, however, Finn stepped forward, blocking her path.
Zobber raised her eyes, her icy gaze piercing Finn’s body. “What? Do you wanna fight me?”
Finn, looking coldly at her, said, “Boss hasn’t allowed you to leave!”
Zobber knew she had no chance of winning if she fought here. She returned to her seat and sat down quietly.
Once she sat down, Black Robe said in a relaxed manner, “Others might not be able to handle this, but you can! As Catherine’s close friend, you can easily kill Branden without anyone noticing.”
Zobber felt a wave of disdain. “Why don’t you do it himself?” she complained inwardly. “No way. I would never agree to such a risky thing,” she stated firmly.
Black Robe smirked mysteriously. ” Don’t be hasty. After hearing my terms, you’ll agree.”
“What terms?” Zobber inquired.
“Half of the Duncan Corporation. How about that?” Black Robe said calmly. Seeing Zobber’s shocked reaction, he felt a sense of satisfaction. “Is this generous enough?”
Zobber looked at him in disbelief. “Are you sure you’re not just kidding me?”
Chapter 945 Attitude
After Zobber came back from Black Robe, she told Withal the news she had learned. Seeing the two of them wide-eyed in shock, Zobber felt somewhat satisfied inside; at least, it showed that this matter did sound shocking, and not just her was shocked.
“What do you think? Don’t you guys think it’s unbelievable too? When I heard it, I even doubted my ears.”
Ronin looked up dazedly at Zobber, asking, “Did you agree to it?”
“You think I’m stupid?” Zobber rolled her eyes at him. “I said it’s a big deal. I need to go back and think about it. That black robe man gave me a day to consider.”
Ronin nodded dumbly, thinking, ‘Not too bad; at least Zobber didn’t immediately agree; we can still think of a solution.’
Seeing that Withal kept quiet the whole time, Zobber nudged him with her elbow. “Are you crazy or what?”
That was quite a strong hit. It hurt so. much that Withal was about to lose his temper. He glared up at Zobber angrily. “Are you still a lady? My ribs are almost broken from that hit!”
Zobber disdainfully snorted. “If it were Catherine, your ribs would have been broken already. Do you still think Catherine is a lady?”
Faced with Zobber’s unreasonable persistence and twisting of words, Withal decided to give up. ‘Since I can’t win over her, I’ll just quit!’
Zobber once again had to force Withal to speak. “Hurry up and tell me what you think. Don’t tell me you have nothing to say, or else I’ll beat you up!”
Feeling so angry that Withal wanted to strangle her, wondering, ‘How come staying silent makes me appear guilty?’
“Alright, I’m just thinking,” he replied.
“What are you thinking about?” Zobber prodded.
“I am thinking about what position Black Robe will be placed within the Duncan Corporation to successfully capture the company after the loss of Branden.” Withal’s words got everyone present deep in thought.
The Duncan Corporation had been under the rule of Branden for so many years. That dude was super capable. The whole Duncan Corporation was constantly reaching new heights under his control.
He was not only good at doing business but also very good at reading people. Everyone under his command was loyal to him, devoted to him.
If Branden really got into trouble, the Duncan Corporation wouldn’t be changing hands quickly and definitely. wouldn’t be going under anytime soon.
But Black Robe said it so confidently. There must be some trickery going on here.
“Could it be like the general manager of the Duncan Corporation?” Zobber guessed boldly.
Withal shook his head, saying, “I don’t think it’s going to be that easy!”
Zobber agreed with what he said. ” Should we spill the tea to Branden? If he knows, he might be able to check it out real quick.”
“No way!” Ronin immediately shot down Zobber’s suggestion.
Black Robe’s guys were definitely keeping a close eye on them now. Any little movement would be reported right away.
The enemies were hiding in the shadows while they were out in the open. If Branden got caught investigating the situation from the inside, then they would all be in trouble. All their plans would go to waste after all this time.
“What should we do?” Zobber was feeling a bit annoyed, saying inwardly, ‘ This won’t work, that won’t work. Might as well just tell me to surrender.’
Knowing her personality, Withal took the initiative to comfort her. “Just do whatever you want to do now. If you really betray Catherine, then just do what you think is right. Don’t worry about anything else. Leave it all to us.”
Only by doing this could they be convincing enough to deceive Black Robe.
Zobber couldn’t think of any other good way for now, so she could just agree with Withal’s suggestion. ”
Alright, let’s just go with this for now!”.
Catherine came out of the lab after getting Marshall’s message. “Professor Hartley, you looking for me?”
Marshall was grinning as he looked at her. “That’s right. I’ll introduce you to a beauty! From now on, Miss Selene will be responsible for coordinating all sponsorship funds from Melton Group with us.”
Catherine paused for a moment, then smiled gently.
Selene was standing on the side with a slight smile on her face, but her eyes were ice-cold. “Miss Swann, I just returned from abroad and just joined Melton Group. I’m still learning a lot of things, so if I make any mistakes in the future, please excuse me.”
Catherine looked at her with a deadpan expression, no emotions whatsoever, and her voice was ice cold. “If you don’t understand, put in a little more effort. Don’t let it hold up your work. Otherwise, it won’t work no matter who talks!”
Catherine’s blatant attitude left Selene frozen in place, her face becoming incredibly unpleasant.
She was humiliated in front of everyone. How could she stand it?
Selene put on a forced smile and asked, “Miss Swann, do you have a problem with me? Is that why you’re targeting me like this?”
“I’m going in if you don’t mind.” With that, Catherine was ready to leave.
Selene just couldn’t stand this disrespectful attitude.
She glared at Catherine’s back and shouted, “Stop right there, Miss Swann! Do you not care that your attitude could affect the whole laboratory because you’re deliberately targeting me? Are you not bothered at all that you will ruin Styre University’s reputation?”
‘This woman is too arrogant. She needs to be taught a lesson,’ said Selene inwardly.
Catherine stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at Selene. “Do you think I’m targeting you?”
“Are you not?” Selene was so mad, thinking Catherine must know that she knew Branden and got jealous. ‘This woman is so two-faced, scary and jealous.’
Catherine sneered twice, then looked around at everyone. “What do you think?”
Selene had no idea what Catherine meant. She just felt that Catherine was too arrogant. With so many people around, Catherine still dared to show off so openly.
But what surprised her was, after Catherine asked, Marshall actually took the initiative to speak up. “Miss Miller, you’ve misunderstood. That’s just who Catherine was. As a researcher, her mind is full of scientific experiments. She doesn’t have any other intentions, especially not targeting you!”
After Marshall finished speaking, Ultan held his head, feeling speechless.
“Last time Mr. Melton visited, the treatment he received was even worse. Miss Miller, you should consider yourself lucky with the treatment you’re getting!” added Marshall.
The underlying meaning was, “Even. your boss would get scolded here; why are you making a scene here?”
Selene was shocked; her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked around. ‘Are these people all crazy or what? Why are they all so protective of Catherine?’
Catherine couldn’t be bothered to talk to her. She just told Marshall, ” Professor, I’m heading to the lab!”
Marshall waved his hand, motioning for her to leave and leave it to him.
Selene was still not convinced. She had never seen sponsors treated so badly before, and she looked at Styre University President Ultan with surprise. “Is this really the style of Styre University?”
Ultan had a big smile on his face, but the words coming out of his mouth were as tough as nails. “Miss Miller, if you think there’s a problem, go back and figure it out before coming back!”
‘Is he asking me to leave? And I’m the one at fault?’ Selene couldn’t understand, feeling angry inside, but everyone was on Catherine’s side. She had no choice but to leave in frustration.
Chapter 946 The President's Fiancee
Selene stormed back to the company, and the first thing she did was find Rylan and demand that he withdraw the investment in the lab.
Catherine was so arrogant that she needed to be taught a lesson.
But all she got was a round of mockery from Rylan.
She gave Rylan a puzzled look, asking, "What's with that laugh? Are you also planning to stand for Catherine?"
"Stand for Catherine? Rylan raised his eyebrows and looked at her. "Do you know that Duncan Corporation is waiting for us to withdraw our investment? Guess how much we paid to qualify for this sponsorship? Do you really think that Catherine's lab is begging for sponsorship? As long as we withdraw our funding, even if the Duncan Corporation doesn't step in, there will be plenty of big companies waiting to throw money at them to sponsor their lab!"
Rare things were precious. Marshall's lab was not only a symbol of Styre University but also a hot commodity in many people's eyes. So many people were lining up with money in hand. 'Selene asked me to withdraw sponsorship. Isn't it a joke?' thought Rylan.
Selene looked at Rylan with confusion, finding it hard to understand what he was saying. When she was overseas, even the top laboratories had to pull out all the stops to please the sponsors. She never encountered someone as arrogant and overbearing as Catherine.
Seeing her look of disbelief, Rylan sneered disdainfully and said, "I suggest you take the time to get to know exactly what kind of person Catherine is. Once you understand how formidable she is, you'll realize that everything makes perfect sense."
Rylan was already the third person today who called her to understand the situation. Selene couldn't believe that she had just encountered such a big humiliation by starting her job.
She glared at Rylan dissatisfiedly and asked sternly, "Is being arrogant and overbearing considered reasonable?"
Failing to convince her, Rylan couldn't be bothered to talk to her more. "Do your job, don't forget the goal that your boss set for you. Alright, now get out of here!"
Having never been treated like this before, Selene was so angry that she felt like her lungs were about to explode.
She left Rylan's office in a bad mood, feeling more and more hatred toward Catherine.
She used just to hate this woman, thinking she didn't deserve to stand by Branden's side. But now, it was pretty clear that hating her was a must.
She had never experienced such humiliation in her career. It was all because of Catherine. She must get that revenge back.
Selene was getting more and more pissed off as she thought about it. She had completely lost interest in dealing with work now and was ready to kick off her revenge plan.
She walked back to the office, grabbed her small purse, and left the company.
Half an hour later, Selene showed up outside the Duncan Corporation building.
She passed the business card to the receptionist but was told by the receptionist that she couldn't meet their president without an appointment.
Selene looked at the receptionist expressionlessly and said, "Then tell Paxton that I care!
Her arrogant attitude made the front desk lady feel that she was not to be neglected, and she immediately made a phone call.
When Paxton received the news, he happened to run into Branden coming out of the meeting room, so he reported the situation to him.
Branden had a deadpan expression and spoke without any emotion. "Sent her in." "Yes, sir!" replied Paxton.
A few minutes later, the front desk got a message.
The front desk lady immediately said to Selene respectfully, "Miss Miller, the president asked you to go up. Please follow me!"
As Selene walked away, a few people at the front desk started whispering to each other.
This is the first time a woman has seen our president without an appointment."
"No, besides the president's fiancee, she is the first one."
"Is this the president's new girlfriend or what?"
Selene had pretty good listening. She wasn't walking particularly fast and caught every word of the conversation going on. A confident smile escaped her face.
They were right. She was gonna be the new Mrs. Duncan real soon. She had the confidence and the ability.
There was a knock on the office door. Branden didn't even bother to lift his head before
calling out.
After receiving the message, Paxton pushed open the door to invite Selene in. "Miss Miller, come in, please!"
Selene gave a polite smile and elegantly walked through the door.
Branden was still working; he didn't stop just because there were guests there.
They said a man who was focused was the most charming, and I totally agree with that," said Selene.
Branden was attracted by the soft voice, and he looked up at her. His cold gaze showed no extra emotions. "Do you need something?"
Wanna grab a meal together?" Selene tentatively asked and noticed a slight change in Branden's expression. She immediately stopped smiling and changed the subject. "Just kidding. I know work comes first for you. I'm here to discuss business with you don't get me
wrong!
After hearing the explanation, Branden's expression improved a bit.
They finally got down to business and had a long discussion.
After the work discussion ended, Selene smoothly suggested that she and Branden grab dinner together.
This was just standard procedure, nothing out of the ordinary. Normally, no one would refuse.
But Branden didn't let her have her way, refusing flatly, "No, it's a good time to go back and make dinner now."
After listening, Selene was so scared that her mouth was wide open. "You cooking dinner? Branden, are you sure you're not just joking around with me?"
She was starting to doubt if she was hearing things.
Branden looked at her with a serious face. "You know I'm not the kind of person who likes to
joke around.
"Can't find a chef that suits your taste? Do you want..." Selene knew how picky Branden was, and she was thinking about introducing him to a suitable chef.
But before she could finish speaking, Branden just debunked her guess. "My fiancée's stomach isn't good; the food I cook is better for her."
Selene's smile froze on her face as soon as she heard the casual tone. She had never seen
such a gentle look in Branden's eyes.
But when he mentioned his fiancée just now, the look in his eyes was so rare and gentle.
Selene was pissed off and madly jealous. 'Why does everyone treat Catherine so well? For
what?'
Despite feeling a lot of dissatisfaction inside, Selene still managed to keep it in and didn't show it on her face. "Since that's the case, I won't bother you then. Let's hang out next time
when you're free!"
Coming out of the office, Selene still couldn't calm down her anger.
She was supposed to leave directly, but she didn't. Instead, she turned around and found
Paxton. "I didn't drive today, and it's hard to catch a cab to where I need to go. Can you
arrange for a ride for me?"
Anyway, Selene was the representative of the business partner. The requests she made were within a reasonable range, so Paxton had no reason to refuse. "Of course, Miss Miller,
please hold on a sec!"
Looking at the back of Paxton as he turned around to make a phone call, a victorious smile appeared on Selene's face.
Chapter 947 Trending
Catherine came out of the lab after finishing work, feeling like everyone around was giving her weird looks.
It seemed like all of her senior brothers and sisters were intentionally avoiding her, even though they didn't interact with her much. But when they saw her, their looks were not like that.
It was like they were purposely hiding something from her. Every time she looked over, they quickly averted their eyes, too scared to make eye contact with her.
They didn't want to talk, and Catherine didn't really care either. She just walked to the office with a cold expression.
When she passed by Marshall's office, she happened to make eye contact with him. As soon as Marshall saw her, he quickly covered his phone on the desk.
The most important thing was Marshall's look at her, which had a hint of guilt for no reason.
So, instead of going straight to her own office like she planned, she turned around and walked into Marshalls office. "Professor, what are you so focused on? What are you looking at so seriously?"
Marshall was holding his phone, smiling awkwardly. "Nothing. Just some news, not your cup of tea. Finished with work?"
This whole changing the subject tactic was so lame. He couldn't just pull a fast one on Catherine like that.
"Oh really? What's the latest political news? Share it with me, too; I'm also interested in learning a thing or two," said Catherine.
Although Marshall was a professor and Catherine's mentor, he listened to Catherine.
Catherine insisted on looking. Although he didn't want to, Marshall still handed over the phone without even daring to hesitate too much. "You asked to look. So, don't smash my phone after looking!"
After reading it, Catherine finally understood why Marshall told her not to smash his phone. The headline in this gossip news was really infuriating and disgusting.
"Billionaire president finds new love, new girlfriend steps into the scene, will the dream of being a high-class wife soon shatter?
"The assistant of the president personally picking up the new girlfriend. The position of Mrs. Duncan is about to change hands!"
The headlines were getting more and more explosive, and the audience below was just watching the drama unfold. In just a few hours, the post reached over a hundred million views, with tens of thousands of comments below.
Not only did the gossip media report this, but even the financial newspapers joined in the fun. With the protagonist of the news being so well-known, the netizens instantly became
excited, and the top three trends were all occupied by the relevant news.
Catherine clicked on the news, checking out the content inside.
There were some pictures that looked like they were taken in the basement of the Duncan Corporation building.
The woman's face wasn't captured. Only her back view was captured. Catherine immediately recognized who she was.
The journalist also got a side shot of Paxton, who was one of the spokespersons for the Duncan Corporation. Basically, when he spoke out, it represented what the big boss, Branden, wanted. He was the special assistant to the president of the Duncan Corporation.
Then, there was a special car for the president of the Duncan Corporation. With just a few vague photos, the media reporters could make up a whole bunch of stories.
Now, everyone on the internet was digging into the background of this new girlfriend of the newly crowned billionaire president, wondering who this lucky girl was.
After reading them coldly, Catherine casually placed the cell phone on Marshall's desk and smirked at him. "Don't worry, Professor. There's just a little bit of pocket money in your pocket. It's not even enough to buy a new phone if it's broken. I'm not that careless. Here you go!
Marshall took it with a big grin and was about to let out a sigh of relief when he heard Catherine's icy, sarcastic voice coming from above. "Professor, this gossip news usually hurts your brain; you better not read them too much. If you read too much, I'm worried it will affect your intelligence."
After Catherine finished speaking, she just walked out of Marshall's office and headed straight to her own office.
It took a while for Marshall to know that Catherine had scolded him in a roundabout way, which made him laugh angrily.
Only this girl dared to treat him like this. If it were someone else, they would have been dragged over for a beating.
As soon as Catherine sat down in the office, she received a call from Ronin.
The moment she picked up the phone, she took the initiative to speak without waiting for the other person. I saw the news. I'm still in the lab!"
Ronin was full of anger but suddenly became speechless and couldn't even say a word.
After holding it in for a long time, he finally spoke up shamefully and asked, "Catherine, how about we find someone to beat up Branden, and then we go grab that woman and throw her to the sharks in the Patrific Ocean, okay?
Originally feeling a bit irritated, Catherine couldn't help but burst out laughing after hearing that.
"Ronin, come on. It's a civilized society now. Plus, are you sure you can give him a good beat
down?' asked Catherine.
After thinking about it carefully, Ronin silently gave up on the idea.
He really couldn't be sure. His combat power was not even half of Catherine's.
It was said that Branden was better than Catherine.
It was very likely that he would be beaten and thrown to feed the sharks, and Catherine
would have to take the trouble of fishing out his corpse.
Just imagine it gave him chills. 'Forget it! Catherine is right. This is a rule of law society. We have to abide by the law,' thought Ronin.
"Catherine, what's your plan for dealing with this?" he asked.
"I have my own plans. I gotta go now!" With that, Catherine hung up the phone without any hesitation.
She was holding her phone, looking at the photos on it. In one of the pictures, the woman's dazzling face with those rosy lips slightly smiling; the half-smile was super attractive.
'The clown dare to perform her tricks in front of me? said Catherine inwardly.
At the same time, Selene also saw the news.
She smugly looked at her masterpiece, took out her phone, and made a mysterious call." Just keep buying fake accounts for me. We'll make a big fuss out of this."
The voice on the phone sounded old and raspy. "Aren't you worried Branden will hold a grudge against you when he finds out?"
Selene was beaming with pride. "I didn't take those photos. I didn't write those speculations either. It's not my fault at all. It's all on the netizens. Why should I be the one to blame?"
"Alright, as you wish." After the other party agreed, Selene hung up the phone.
With her phone in hand, she had a big smile of victory on her face.
She was dying to know what Catherine's reaction would be when she saw this news. Will she
be freaking out, or will she be furious?' wondered Selena.
She would be happy with eithe
'Just because she's the flancée of Branden, she dares to be so arrogant. I'll have to put a damper on her spirit,' thought Selene.
When Paxton got the message, Branden was still at an international conference.
This meeting was super important. Some chiefs from certain areas were even participating.
He wouldn't dare just barge in.
After the meeting ended, he quickly blocked Branden and reported the situation, "Sir, you're trending again!"
Branden's eyebrows were furrowed, and he had a slightly serious look. What's up?"
Paxton shakily pulled out his phone from his pocket and handed it to Branden. "Sir, when
Miss Miller left today, I arranged for a car to take her. I didn't expect that the journalists who
were lying in wait would take photos, causing all this trouble."
After looking over at it, Branden had a really dark expression. He had no interest in this
boring gossip news at all.
But the bottom line was Catherine couldn't be bothered.
"Get someone to take down the news. Send a lawyer's letter to the media that published the
article, ordered Branden.
Paxton knew Branden was about to clean up this group of clowns, so he quickly got into action. 'Alright, I'll take care of it now!"
Chapter 948 Are You Tired Today?
The situation had taken a turn that nobody expected. Even though the Duncan Corporation's public relations department acted quickly with its crisis management plan, the news was just too viral to contain.
These kinds of things were nothing new for the Duncan Corporation's public relations department. The most important thing was to cool things down. As long as they didn't respond, ignored it, and diverted attention by arranging other hot topics, the public would quickly forget about it.
But this time was different. After receiving a lawyer's letter from the Duncan Corporation, the media that first exposed this issue not only did not back off but instead became even more aggressive.
The entertainment studio that caught the photo not only released the lawyer's letter from the Duncan Corporation but also posted a somewhat dubious statement online, instantly making the situation even more intense. "Although the capitalist is powerful, we still persist. Even ants can shake big trees with courage!"
After the entertainment studio released this piece of news, it immediately caught the attention of many netizens. The comments were overwhelmingly supportive.
In the eyes of those keyboard warriors, capitalists were all evil, and being weak was the real justice.
They were blinded by the appearance before them, only seeing the truth they wanted to see. The online drama was still brewing. It started off as just a simple piece of gossip, and no one expected the heat to keep going.
After Branden finished the meeting, he handed these over to Paxton to take care of.
With all this free time, he might as well go back and spend more time with Catherine.
[See you at the door] he sent Catherine a text.
After reading the text, Catherine put away her phone and went back to focusing on her work.
Marshall passed by and saw that she wasn't planning on leaving yet, so he stopped and asked, 'Not going back yet? Work overtime again?"
Catherine stopped what she was doing and turned to him. "Professor, isn't it rare for a supervisor like you to always refuse students to work overtime?"
Marshall replied with a proud look, "Working overtime is not a sign of hard work. Efficiency should come first, and it's important to balance work and rest. If your body is worn out, there is no way to make up for it."
Seeing that Catherine was unmoved, he added, "You better leave now. Otherwise, Mr. Theo will come knocking on the door again, and I won't be able to handle it!"
Mr. Theo was now working as a guest professor at Styre University, always rushing to the lab to scold because of Catherine's overtime work. He never scolded Catherine and didn't know those young researchers. In the end, this fire could only fall on Marshall.
Marshall was so miserable right now, but he didn't even have a place to vent his frustrations.
Ultan made it crystal clear. Whoever pissed off Mr. Theo would be soaking up some sun in the physical training next semester.
Catherine was planning to work for a while longer to finish up her tasks, but after Marshall's chattering, she quickly tidied up and stood up. "Professor, I'm going to head back first."
Marshall immediately lit up with a smile. He was only one step away from having someone carry Catherine out. "Hurry up, my lady."
As soon as Catherine left, Marshall immediately whipped out his phone and reported the situation to Ultan. "Mission accomplished, goal has been set."
Ultan breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving the message, thinking, 'Looks like that black Bentley downstairs should be able to drive off soon."
A Bentley was no big deal, but that sequential license plate sure did catch one's eye.
Styre University was used to being low-key. He definitely didn't want to end up trending online.
*****
Catherine had barely stepped out of the school gate when she saw that familiar car parked not far ahead. She walked straight toward it.
It was like they had a telepathy or something. When Branden saw Catherine's figure, he instinctively raised his head and saw a familiar figure entering his sight.
He then pushed the car door open and walked quickly toward her.
Skillfully taking the bag from Catherine's hands, he casually wrapped his arms around her." Are you tired today?"
Catherine helplessly forced a smile. 'Marshall didn't even let me work over time. How can I be tired?"
Compared to Catherine's pity, Branden was actually quite pleased to hear this news.
He was worried that too much supervision would upset Catherine, but now it was all good. Not only did Mr. Theo take care of her at school, but Professor Hartley was also keeping an eye on her. He could relax a little now.
The camera flash went off in a flash. Though it was quick and from quite a distance, Branden and Catherine still managed to capture it real quickly.
But they both pretended not to see it tacitly. Catherine didn't mention anything about the online drama.
Branden was in charge of cooking dinner while Catherine was reading the literature she hadn't finished in the lab.
Both of them were just acting like it was no big deal, like any other day.
With a good appetite, Catherine finished all the food.
"Are you full yet?" asked Branden.
Catherine glanced at the empty plate and looked up at him with a surprised expression. "Are you seriously treating me like a pig?"
Branden was amused by her, and then he went up to her and hugged her. After carefully measuring her with his hands, he frowned and said, "I want to feed you like feeding pigs. At least they gain weight after eating. You are so thin. Where is the flesh?"
Catherine did have a very slim waist. But she had always been thin. With a good metabolism, she couldn't gain weight at all.
Every day, she was barely getting by without enough calories. If it weren't for Branden insisting on feeding her, she would be slimmer now.
"Go take a break, and I'll cut some fruit for you!" The man's low voice was smooth, like a violin, very pleasing to the ears.
Leaning against his strong chest, Catherine shook her head silently. "Don't feel like eating. I'm a bit tired. Once I finish reading the remaining documents, I just wanna sleep!"
Branden gingerly helped her stand up. "Alright, you go. I'll clean up here!
Catherine wasn't a fan of strangers in her house, except for the fact that they got cleaners coming in after they left every day. Other than that, everything was taken care of by Branden. The President of the Duncan Corporation was now not only a chef but also a dishwasher. Those hands that used to sign several hundred million dollar contracts were now used for washing vegetables and dishes. If the employees of the Duncan Corporation saw it, they would definitely be shocked.
There wasn't a lot of information, and it was enough for Catherine to read through it in about
half an hour.
But lately, her back had been a little sore, and she couldn't sit for long. After finishing reading the documents, she immediately stood up and moved around.
Originally, she wanted to ask Branden to accompany her downstairs for a walk, but when she reached the study, she heard Branden's cold voice coming from inside. It looked like he was on the phone. "Can't even handle such a small matter? I'll give you another hour. I want to see the entire layout completely cleaned up."
Catherine finally knocked on the door of the study only after there was no more noise inside.
In the next second, Branden immediately opened the door, his brow furrowed, looking a bit nervous. "What's up?"
Catherine rarely came to him on her own. He was worried that she was not feeling well. He heard that the first few months could be very tiring.
"Nothing much. I have eaten quite a lot. Shall we go downstairs for a walk?" replied
Catherine.
Branden paused for a moment, then he suddenly realized.
He looked at her apologetically with his handsome face. 'Come on. I'll go downstairs with
you now."
"Alright!" Catherine replied.
As the two were about to leave, Branden suddenly stopped and said, "Hey, wait for me!"
Catherine was puzzled as Branden quickly returned to the house to get a coat. "It's super
windy and chilly outside at night."
Catherine wanted to say that it was completely unnecessary. Sensing the determination in his eyes, she silently gave up. 'Forget it. I'll just listen to him,' she thought.
Chapter 949 Sweet Declaration
At night, another entertainment news made it to the trend. "The dream of being Mrs. Duncan shattering? The billionaire president is going on a sweet date with his ex, breaking the rumors.'
As soon as the post came out, it instantly caught the attention of countless netizens.
The comments were diversified, some good, some bad. Some said that Catherine's methods were too superb, trying to win back the main sponsor through public opinion. Others said that Catherine intentionally leaked this, wanting to take advantage of the opportunity to declare sovereignty.
The previous news had already made uninformed netizens hostile toward Catherine. Regardless of right or wrong, they just started mocking.
Catherine didn't see the news and was basically in seclusion mode now.
After a walk with Branden, she went home to chill.
She had to go to school tomorrow. Staying up too late wasn't good for her health.
Hearing the steady breathing beside him, Branden's face showed a rare calmness and contentment.
He took out his phone, opened Twitter, which he hadn't visited for a long time, and reposted the hottest trend.
Then he turned off his phone and happily fell asleep with Catherine in his arms.
*****
The next day, Catherine was woken up by her phone blowing up with messages.
When she was sleeping, she always put her phone on the lowest volume, but no matter how subtle the sound was, her sharp senses still picked up on it immediately.
She opened her phone and saw dozens of unread messages lighting up the screen.
The first message that popped up was from Zobber because she sent the most messages, and the most recent one was also sent by her. [Catherine, awesome! I'm teaming up with Mr. Duncan this time.]
Catherine was completely puzzled. She originally wanted to see exactly what Zobber had sent, but after seeing all those voice messages, she quietly closed the chat window,
The bigger the situation, the calmer Zobber became, and she spoke succinctly to the point Only boring gossip could excite her interest and make her talk endlessly like this.
Catherine didn't even have to think about it to know that it definitely wasn't a big deal, so she just ignored it.
After she closed the chat, she saw messages from Mr. Theo, Professor Hartley, Ronin... and many other people.
Mr. Theo said, [Cassie, that boy is a keeper!]
Marshall sent, [Tell that brat to behave himself a bit. My wife scolded me again this morning: she hadn't given me a good face all day.]
Ronin sent, [Emergency! Catherine, you're trending again.]
Catherine guessed the trend must have sparked quite a buzz to make these people message her so frantically.
After washing up and sitting at the dining table, she casually picked up her phone and started browsing the trending topics.
She didn't even have to search for it to see that most prominent trending topic. The billionaire president confessed his feelings in the middle of the night, leaving countless netizens envious.
Catherine clicked the trending topic and saw the news, which made everyone text her like crazy.
Branden reposted the hottest news and even tagged her, saying, "The only choice for my wife is and will always be her, Catherine."
Seeing the message, Catherine just smiled softly, put her phone aside, and continued to eat breakfast.
These pig shaped desserts on the table seemed to be more adorable.
When Selene saw the news, she was about to explode from anger.
She thought Duncan Corporation would handle the public relations, so she was ready with a plan. But she didn't expect that Branden himself would come out to handle it personally.
She had known Branden since she was little; she knew his personality very well and knew he wouldn't even care about these things.
But Branden's approach really caught her off guard this time.
After reading a few comments from netizens, all she saw were blessings for Catherine. Selene couldn't hold back her anger anymore. She angrily threw her phone to the side.
With a loud bang, the cell phone landed on the ground. Not long after, the phone on the table started ringing again.
This was the direct line in the office. Selene must answer it.
She picked up the phone and put it to her ear with a serious expression. "Boss, you looking for me?"
On the other end of the phone came an old man's voice. "Is this how you repay me?" The cold voice sent shivers down Selene's spine and made her body uncontrollably tremble. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly said, 'Boss, I didn't do enough preparations this time. I have learned my lesson, and I promise that I won't disappoint you again next time. Please give me another chance."
"Alright, I'll give you one more chance. You'll be gone forever if you still can't make it."
Hearing the threat from the other side, Sellene's face turned extremely gloomy.
Regardless, she still reluctantly agreed to do it. "Don't worry, boss."
After hanging up the phone, Selene's originally fearful expression gradually turned icy.
She thought things would go smoothly this time, but it turned out it had been a real struggle.
It looked like those people were right. Catherine was definitely much more difficult to deal with than she imagined.
A woman who could easily change Branden was definitely not just a simple woman. But she wasn't about to give up just yet. It was still uncertain who was going to win next. Selene gazed down at the photo on the table with a strange and chilling smile.
She quickly picked up the letter opener next to her and fiercely stabbed it into the photo, instantly piercing through Catherine in the photo.
Her gruff voice slowly sounded, which was extremely cold. "We'll see about that!"
After Paxton got the message, he reported to Catherine right away, "Miss Swann, I heard Mr. Karl Duncan is coming. He's on the plane now."
Catherine was taken aback for a moment. She hadn't expected Paxton to tell her this news.
Does Branden know this?"
"Boss is still in a meeting. The butler said that Mr. Karl decided to come at the last minute,
so he didn't have time to notify us."
"Oh," Catherine responded calmly, without showing much emotion.
Listening to these lukewarm words from Catherine, Paxton felt a bit restless. 'Miss Swann, do you need me to send a car to take you to the airport?
"No need!" Gatherine didn't hesitate to refuse Paxton's proposal. Karl was an adult, and he had his own freedom.
'Since he didn't even say it before coming, maybe he's here to visit or for some other reason. We shouldn't just rush in to meet him without consent; it's not a good idea, and I don't want to do that either; Catherine thought.
"I gotta go if nothing else," she said.
Paxton was kind of helpless, but he still had to go along with Catherine's decision and hung up the phone.
Word got around real quick that Catherine wasn't heading to the airport. Selene was just worrying about missing her chance. Now it was right there in front of her.
She knew Karl was not easy to get along with, but that was not the case for her.
'My dad was Mr. Duncan's driver, and he's always been trusted by the Duncans. How can Catherine compare to me? I'll just take this opportunity to crush Catherine a bit so that girl doesn't get too arrogant,' she said inwardly.
"Get the car ready. To the airport!"
Chapter 950 Grand Opening
Catherine got a message from Branden saying he had some last-minute stuff to do in the neighboring city and wouldn't be back until tomorrow morning.
Actually, he didn't need to rush back, but he insisted, so Catherine went with him.
As she had no need to go back for dinner, Catherine didn't leave the lab building and worked overtime peacefully.
"Catherine!" someone called her.
Hearing the sound, Catherine turned around and saw her senior from the same laboratory standing at her door, calling out to her.
'What's the matter?"
The senior pointed outside. "Someone's looking for you outside and let me pass along a message.
"Got it." After Catherine responded, she paused her work and walked out of the workroom. When she arrived at the lobby, she saw Rylan standing in the center of the lobby.
Rylan accurately captured her faint footsteps.
He looked up and caught sight of Catherine's beautiful eyes. A smile instantly appeared on his face. "Are you planning to work overtime?"
"Don't you know?" Catherine looked at him coldly.
Rylan should know her schedule like the back of his hand.
Rylan was momentarily stunned by her cold tone. Then he finally smiled awkwardly.
'Branden didn't pick me up for a day, so Rylan came instead. If he hadn't received the message in advance, how could he have been so punctual? There aren't that many coincidences in the world. I don't believe in coincidences, thought Catherine.
After a brief moment of silence, Rylan finally spilled the beans on why he was here today." Have you eaten yet? A new restaurant just opened tonight. If you haven't eaten, let's go together."
'He came all the way here just to treat me to a meal? Catherine definitely didn't buy it.
Seeing Catherine remain silent. Rylan continued persuading, "It's just a meal; we are friends. What's wrong with having a meal together?"
He was not wrong, though. Catherine just didn't want to be bothered. If it was just about eating, it didn't matter who she ate with. "Give me a sec, I'll clean up a bit."
"Okay!" Rylan gently answered. As long as Catherine could agree, he would wait no matter how long.
The restaurant wasn't too far from Catherine's lab, so Rylan drove them there himself while
Catherine sat in the back seat.
It took them about half an hour to reach their destination.
The car stopped steadily in front of the restaurant, and the waiter came forward to open the door.
There were a lot of luxury cars parked outside the restaurant, and there were also a lot of decorations. Maybe because they had just opened, the whole restaurant was really bustling. After they got out of the car, the restaurant's manager came out to greet them. "Mr. Melton, we've reserved a spot for you. Please follow me."
Rylan glanced back at Catherine.
Catherine replied nonchalantly, 'Let's go!"
The whole restaurant was decorated in an extremely luxurious way. One could tell it was a restaurant that specifically catered to rich people.
Once they reached the second floor, Catherine immediately noticed something was wrong. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked ahead, coldly saying, "Just a simple meal, right?" Before Rylan could even explain, the manager ahead immediately stopped in his tracks and responded to Catherine's question, "Miss, there's a small party being held by our boss on the second floor tonight. The guests are all our boss's close friends. Your and Mr. Melton's VIP room is up ahead."
The explanation made sense. Today was the grand opening of the restaurant, so the boss was inviting friends to help liven things up. It was all pretty normal.
Catherine said nothing. The manager just kept leading them forward.
Just as she took a couple of steps, Catherine heard a familiar voice ahead. She pretended not to hear it and kept walking forward.
When Selene saw Catherine, her whole face lit up. The person she had been waiting for had finally arrived.
Seeing Catherine trying to avoid her, Selene felt really pleased.
She was planning to teach Catherine a lesson. "Miss Swann, what a coincidence! How come I run into you here, too?"
Her voice drew the attention of the people around.
Catherine totally acted like she didn't see it and kept on walking straight ahead.
As soon as Selene saw the situation, she immediately stepped forward and stood directly in front of Catherine, smiling at her. "Miss Swann, why aren't you answering me? Isn't that a bit
rude?
Catherine stopped in her tracks and looked up at her. "Who are you?"
Three simple words made Selene stiffen, and her face turned incredibly unpleasant.
Catherine didn't even bother with her, which was just straight up provocation.
Selene forced a smile to hide her anger. "Miss Swann, do you really not know me, or are you just intentionally ignoring me?"
Catherine gave the coldest stare, showing no interest in her at all. "Why should I get to know you? Are you someone important or something?"
If Catherine's first response was a challenge, then she was just completely ignoring Selene the second time.
Selene was finally pissed off with Catherine's attitude.
She wasn't fake smiling anymore, looking dead serious in Catherine's direction. "Miss Swann, we may not be super close, but we do know each other. Are you really still upset with me because of that gossip from the other day? If so, Miss Swann, I'm afraid you're being a bit..."
Petty.'
Selene deliberately left the rest unsaid, knowing that Catherine must have understood the implication. This was exactly the effect she wanted to achieve.
After hearing what Selene said, everyone around shot curious glances at them.
The gossip from the other day had caused quite a stir, with many people now aware of the relationship between Catherine and Selene.
Now, these two rumored women meeting in public, it looked like another drama was about to unfold. Everyone's curious eyes were on them, ready to watch the show.
Catherine knew that Selene was deliberately provoking her. She really had no intention of paying attention to Selene.
Seeing what was happening, Rylan was ready to grab Catherine and leave. "Let's go. It's not good for your stomach to have dinner so late."
Selene couldn't help but feel terribly jealous deep down inside as she watched Rylan care for Catherine.
'This woman always has men caring for her no matter when. Is she really that desperate for men?' wondered Selene.
"Miss Swann, you're really lucky. Branden is all over the internet making a big declaration, and Mr. Melton is taking such good care of you over here. I wonder how Branden would feel if he knew how enthusiastic Mr. Melton is about you." She was convinced that Catherine was secretly following Rylan behind Branden's back, so she was unusually loud in order to see Catherine feel guilty.
To her surprise, Catherine retorted with a cold response in the next second, "Miss Miller, if I remember correctly, Rylan is your boss, right? How can you be so outspoken about his personal matters in front of him? Are you just taking advantage of your strong background to act recklessly? Or are you just naturally outspoken and lacking in manners?"
A simple comeback almost made Selene unable to hold it together. She originally thought Catherine would be embarrassed and angry, but it turned out that in the end, it was actually herself who became embarrassed and angry. Damn woman. How dare she actually look down on me.'
Her current position might not be as high as Rylan's, but that didn't mean she was beneath anyone
Selene was about to lose it when a few people appeared in front of her, and her eyes lit up instantly. She knew her chance had arrived.