Ch. 961..970

Chapter 961 The Investigation

Despite Catherine's admission of her involvement in the laboratory project data leak, Ultan still couldn't believe that.

He looked at Catherine with astonishment. Then he turned to Marshall, who stood beside him. Marshall also wore a bewildered expression, clearly not understanding the current situation.

Seeing Ultan's gaze, Marshall, in a public setting, gestured for Ultan to continue. After a brief exchange between them, Ultan proceeded with questioning Catherine. He asked, "Catherine, since you've admitted that the project data was leaked by you, I think you need to explain the matter of the substantial bribery payment. What do you think?"

Catherine remained cold. "I've said it before. There was no substantial bribery payment."

"So, you mean you didn't take any money? Then tell me, if not for money, why did you leak the experimental data? There must be a reason. As the lead on the project, don't you understand its significance to you?" Ultan's tone gradually became stern. He couldn't comprehend Catherine's actions.

*Nothing special. I just share the data for better completion of experiments." Catherine's explanation seemed pale, and no one at the scene believed her reasons.

The senior students of the experimental group initially believed in Catherine. After spending so much time together, they trusted Catherine, thinking she wouldn't do such a thing. However, Catherine's response disappointed them completely.

The atmosphere grew tense, and everyone changed their view about Catherine.

Many became angry, eager to question Catherine and uncover the truth. Because this wasn't just a project Catherine was responsible for. It involved everyone's honor and was closely related to the interests of those present.

They couldn't accept that Catherine would do such a thing. They felt deceived and became furious.

With discussions escalating. Ultan had to take action to appease the anger. He decided to undergo an investigation regarding Catherine. "Catherine, given your unique circumstances and the broad implications of this matter, I have decided to suspend all your laboratory experiments, restrict your access to the laboratory building, and require your full cooperation in our investigation until we uncover the truth of this situation."

Catherine remained expressionless. Obviously, the outcome was a bit lighter than she had imagined. She was about to agree when the conference room door was forcefully opened from the outside.

Rylan entered with his assistant, exuding a formidable aura.

Seeing him, both Ultan and the leaders of the institution wore displeased expressions. After all, this was an internal matter for the school, and they had convened only the research personnel of the laboratory project to handle it. Now that Rylan had appeared, there was a possibility of the issue escalating. They didn't want that to happen.

Ultan remained calm and looked at Rylan with his sharp eyes. "Mr. Melton, what brings you here today?"

Rylan glanced at Catherine with a gentle expression. Then he turned to Ultan with a serious demeanor. "Mr. Farrell, with such a significant data leak in the experiment sponsored by our company, shouldn't you have informed me?"

Ultan looked embarrassed. They were originally in a leading role in the relationship with Rylan's company. Because their experiments didn't lack sponsorship. But now, the situation was different. They were in the wrong, and most importantly, they had been caught red-handed, leaving Ultan unnerving.

Ultan replied, "Mr. Melton, the details of this leak are still uncertain. We are currently investigating, and once we have results, we will contact your company."

Rylan said with a cold smile, "Mr. Farrell, I understand your meaning, but since I've received the information, why not let me get involved directly? Wouldn't that be more effective?" Update first at NôvelDráma. Org.

Initially, Rylan was negotiating, but suddenly, he became more resolute. "Mr. Farrell, our company has invested a significant amount of money in this project. Any incident may affect our company's reputation. I think you can understand that, right?"

Ultan detected a warning tone in the words, and he understood that Rylan wouldn't relent today. After some consideration, he replied, "Alright, Mr. Melton. Please wait."

Rylan nodded and sat quietly on the side.

*Catherine, stay. The rest of you, return to your positions and continue working," Ultan said. Those who had hoped to know the truth now had to reluctantly exit the scene.

With everyone gone, Catherine remained calmly seated in her position. She casually played with her phone, as if unaffected by the situation.

Ultan was aware of the connection between Rylan and Catherine. He decided to disclose the details of the project leak to see Rylan's reaction. "Mr. Melton, Catherine just admitted that she was responsible for the project data leak. What are your thoughts?"

Rylan turned to look at Catherine, seemingly seeking confirmation.

Catherine looked at him and replied calmly, "Yes, It was me." She seemed somewhat arrogant, but those familiar with Catherine knew that this was just her personality.

Rylan looked a bit unpleasant. After receiving the news, he rushed here, and his greatest concern was Catherine. He knew she would adopt this nonchalant attitude. She didn't care about others' opinions and was disdainful of lying.

'Mr. Farrell, I believe in Catherine's character. I'm sure there must be some unavoidable reason for her actions," Rylan said.

Ultan inwardly sighed in relief. While he had already anticipated the outcome, Rylan's words carried a different weight. With the affirmation from the sponsoring party, they could handle the situation more easily.

Ultan also believed that Catherine must have her reasons, but her actions were always unpredictable, and even Marshall was unaware, let alone Ultan.

Despite Rylan's trust, the incident had already occurred. The most important thing was to investigate thoroughly and provide a clear outcome to everyone.

As Ultan hesitated on how to proceed, Catherine suddenly stood up. "I'll comply with all the school's arrangements and decisions."

After that, Catherine left the conference room. She couldn't freely access the laboratory now and needed to leave as soon as possible.

Seeing this, Rylan left the others behind and chased after her.

Chapter 962 Rylan's Bottom Line

"Catherine, hold on!" Rylan caught up with Catherine at the entrance of her office.

Catherine halted and turned to face him. She said coldly, "You can't just come and go as you please here, understand?"

Rylan paused and retreated his foot. The assistant by his side was stunned. It was the first time he witnessed someone treat Rylan like this, and oddly enough, Rylan didn't seem angry at all.

Catherine began packing up things she needed to take from her office. There weren't many things, and she quickly finished. Throughout this time, Rylan stood by the office door. He just waited quietly until Catherine came out.

Rylan caught up with her and said, "Catherine, I don't think you should compromise so easily. Not explaining things clearly may affect your reputation."

"It's my business, and you shouldn't interfere," Catherine replied coldly and then left the research building with her belongings.

Rylan followed her out. Even the assistant found him a bit too passionate, especially when Catherine didn't respond.

However, Rylan persisted, trailing her until they reached the school gate. There, they coincidentally encountered Branden.

Branden had rushed to the school upon receiving the news. He remained silent and took the items from Catherine's hands. "Go home and rest!"

Catherine nodded slightly and walked alongside Branden toward the car.

Witnessing this, Rylan felt a sharp pang in his heart. He thought coming quickly would be enough to win Catherine's favor, but she remained cold.

As Catherine was about to get into the car, Rylan couldn't hold back any longer. 'Catherine, you don't care about what others think. What about Professor Hartley? Aren't you concerned about him anymore?"

Catherine paused for a moment. It was clear that Rylan's words had affected her.

Branden, with his arm around Catherine, sensed her change. Before Catherine could respond, he turned back to Rylan and warned coldly, "Mr. Melton, as Catherine's fiancé, I will consider her affairs. No need for you to be here. If you have spare time, you should manage your own businesses, so they don't go bankrupt one day without you knowing.'

Last time Rylan lost a project worth several hundred million dollars after provoking Branden. Now he dared to provoke again. Branden wondered if Rylan had too much money or if he was out of his mind.

Rylan understood the warning in Branden's words, and his expression darkened. He wanted to approach, but his assistant discreetly held him back. Remaining calm was crucial at this moment. The assistant didn't want him to act impulsively.

Branden got into the car with Catherine, and then the car drove away. After that, the assistant cautiously asked, Mr. Melton, what should we do next?"

Rylan's face turned grim, and he replied coldly, "Back to the company." He needed to settle scores with someone.

*****

Bang! The loud sound of the huge doors slamming open startled Selene, who was happily sipping her drink with a raised goblet. The red liquid in her cup splattered all over her expensive newly worn clothes.

Glancing at her ruined attire, Selene instantly exploded with anger. She raised her head to glare angrily at the intruder. "Mr. Melton, even if you're angry, can't you maintain some decorum? Bursting into my office abruptly, where are your basic manners?"

Rylan stared at Selene with a grim expression. Before Selene could speak again, Rylan grabbed her by the neck. He looked at her with his sharp eyes, exuding a chilling aura. "Did you forget my warnings?" Update first at NôvelDráma. Org.

He exerted considerable force, causing Selene's face to contort in pain and turn bright red. She struggled to ask," Have you gone mad?"

Rylan ignored Selene's suffering. He continued to tighten his grip and glared at her. "I told you not to touch Catherine, Did you hear me?'

Selene felt that Rylan had lost his mind. He genuinely seemed intent on killing her. Selene started to panic, but she refused to surrender. She remained defiant, hoping to make Rylan compromise.

Selene said, "Rylan, don't forget your position. Consider who we're working for. The head didn't say not to touch Catherine. As long as the final result benefits our entire project, you have to cooperate with me. If you dare harm me, the head will not let you off!"

Rylan no longer cared about much. Selene repeatedly challenged his authority. Now she dared to touch Catherine. They should know that Catherine was crucial to Rylan.

Today, Rylan decided to teach Selene a lesson, making those who attempted to touch Catherine aware of his bottom line.

Selene was being choked nearly to the point of suffocation. Her entire face turned extremely red, and she couldn't hold on much langer. She struggled frantically. Disregarding her image, she attempted to plead. In the face of death, she finally felt fear.

However, Rylan showed no intention of letting her go. The assistant, extremely anxious, tried to persuade Rylan, but it was useless.

Rylan seemed determined to kill Selene. Just when Selene was on the brink, the assistant contemplated knocking Rylan unconscious with a stick to save him.

At the critical moment, someone suddenly shouted, "Rylan, stop it!"

The angry voice brought Rylan back to his senses. He turned to see Aaron standing at the office door, glaring at him. "You brat, let go of her. Aren't you afraid of causing a death with your actions?"

Although Rylan didn't release his grip, he didn't exert force anymore.

Aaron rushed forward, forcefully pulling Rylan away with a stem expression. "No matter how angry you are now, you need to understand what you should do. Take it easy. Do you intend to sacrifice yourself to it, or do you believe you can control everything?"

Rylan finally came to his senses. At this moment, the assistant rushed forward and pulled Selene out.

Selene collapsed on the ground in a wretched state. She breathed heavily, struggling to inhale air. For a moment, she thought she was going to die. Rylan was truly terrifying. He was just like a devil.

Chapter 963 Vacation

In the Melton Group, Aaron had Selene sent to the hospital. If it were not for Aaron to show up timely and stop Rylan, she would have been strangled to death. Selene was so intimidated by Rylan that she left the office with his assistant without saying anything.

Only Rylan and Aaron were in the office. Aaron looked at Rylan. His stomach sank. If Rylan's assistant hadn't informed him beforehand, Rylan would have done something terrible.

"Do you know what you just did?" asked Aaron.

Rylan didn't answer him. Aaron raised his voice and continued, "You almost killed her!" He coughed violently. He was old and in bad health. The fluctuation of emotion made him out of breath.

Rylan, who had been frosty, poured a glass of water and handed it to Aaron. "Grandpa, I don't deserve your concern."

Aaron took the water, his hand shaking and his eyes filled with tears. He regretted sending Rylan back to the Meltons in Loewe when he was still a child. Or else Rylan would not turned out to be broken.

"Rylan, stop before it's too late," said Aaron.

Rylan sneered, feeling sad inside. It was too late, so he could only stick to his path. He was destined to be miserable when he was born into the Meltons. He once believed he could have everything, but nothing was ultimately his. He sighed heavily inside. Considering Aaron's age, he didn't want Aaron to be involved.

"Grandpa, why don't you go home first? I know what to do. I promise to act rationally," said Rylan.

Hearing this, Aaron's brows finally stretched. When Rylan suggested that someone should send him home, he refused. He had been on his own for his whole life.

"I can go home by myself. You get back to your business. Don't exhaust yourself," said Aaron.

Rylan arranged for someone to take Aaron home for safety.

Rylan had many things to do. What he did to Selene was impetuous, but he didn't regret it. She should be taught a lesson to understand the consequences of messing with the wrong person.

**AWA

Branden left the conference room for Catherine after hearing only a vague idea of what happened at the university. Branden hadn't figured out what was going on.

After they were home, Catherine threw herself cozily on the sofa, her long legs casually crossed on the side table. She didn't look like a lady from a noble family at all. Coziness was all she wanted. But that was what Branden loved about her: languor and casualness.

Branden, standing behind her, massaged her shoulders to help her relax. They talked leisurely like families.

'The leak of the lab's data, is that you?" asked Branden.

"Yep!" She admitted it immediately. She didn't want to lie to him, and there was no need to lie.

"Did you trade it for something?" Branden kept asking.

Catherine nodded. Branden was smart. She was not surprised at him figuring out her plan.

Branden raised one eyebrow. "Did it benefit you?"

Catherine thought for a while. 'A little, I guess." Update first at NôvelDráma. Org.

Branden gently pinched her cheek when he heard her answer. "Good. You're a proper businesswoman, then."

That was something new. Everyone thought she was crazy when they discovered she traded the experimental data. Only Branden cared about whether she benefited from the trade. And she loved that about him.

'I'll play games here. You can work in the study. I'm officially on vacation for the next few days," said Catherine. Branden looked at her, pretending to be jealous. "How great is that!"

Catherine looked up at him, her neck long and gorgeous. "Do you want a vacation, too?"

"Absolutely!" Branden said with a bitter smile. "Would you mind covering my shift for a few days so I can enjoy my vacation?"

Catherine groaned disdainfully, "That's quite a fantasy!"

After joking around, Branden was forced to work in the study while Catherine stayed in the living room and enjoyed her vacation, watching movies and playing games.

A call came in when she was in the middle of a game. She put on headphones and continued the game while talking on the phone. "Who is this?" asked Catherine distantly.

'It's me, Miss Swann." The modified voice revealed the caller's identity immediately.

Catherine fixed her eyes on the screen and focused on her game, waiting for the man to speak.

A few seconds later, Black Robe's laughter broke the silence. "It's impressive to stay calm under this situation, Miss Swann. I can see why you can be the chief of the Hacker Alliance. Don't you want to know if I'm behind this?"

Catherine rolled her eyes disdainfully. "You already called me. Why bother asking? You are going to talk about it anyway."

The reason he called so eagerly was to explain about it. She didn't have to ask.

Black Robe remained silent for a few seconds and slowly said, 'Miss Swann, what if I say I have nothing to do with this? Would you believe me?"

"Yeah," answered Catherine without any hesitation.

Black Robe was stunned. "Why do you trust me so much, Miss Swann?"

'Cause it's all about benefits. You wouldn't do anything that doesn't benefit you," explained Catherine miserably.

Black Robe burst into laughter. "Anyway, thank you for your trust. I'll deal with it. And I hope our cooperation remains pleasant."

Catherine hung up and kept on playing the game. She didn't like to waste her time on meaningless talk.

Chapter 964 Selene's Plan Failed

Selene was in the hospital. She could barely speak. And her neck was in colossal pain due to the strangling. Even drinking water was painful to her. Selene stopped the doctor who was leaving and asked, "Doctor, how long does it take to recover?"

The doctor pushed his glasses hesitantly and said in a severe voice, "The swelling can be relieved within three days, but it will take another week to recover fully."

"Can you at least ease the pain?" That was what she was concerned about. She could try to eat as little as possible but still had to eat. The thing was, the pain was unbearable, even though she was only lying there and doing nothing.

The doctor could only say, 'Miss Miller, it takes time for the medicine to work. We've given you painkillers. Your pain will be eased soon enough." But he never mentioned exactly how soon.

Selene was furious to see the doctor leave. She spent extra money to shift into a single ward, and this was what she got. What a jerk! She accidentally moved her neck and grimaced because of the pain.

She swore to herself with her fists clenched that she would make Rylan pay for this. They both worked for the same boss, but Rylan was superior to her and trampled on her at will just because he was a Melton. Catherine must die, so did he! She would make them pay.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Her throat was on fire. But no one came to pour her some water, no matter how many times she pressed the service button. So, she could only go by herself.

When she passed the service station and overheard some nurses talking, she found out this hospital was under the Duncan Corporation. After drinking some water, she went back to her ward. The pain in her throat was still unbearable, but the surprising news lightened her mood.

She could not wait to text Branden. This was her chance.

They were startled when Ronin and the others found out about what Catherine had done.

Zobber suddenly realized something. "So, Catherine had made a trade with Black Robe long ago. It seems Ronin was not the first one to betray the Hacker Alliance. Catherine was."

Two fierce gazes darted at her when she finished speaking. Zobber shrunk a little and smiled awkwardly. "I'm only telling the truth."

Withal and Ronin rolled their eyes at Zobber. They were used to Zobber's reckless words and didn't want to argue with her.

However, seriously speaking, she had a point. From the beginning, Catherine made trades with Black Robe with specific purposes they didn't know about.

*Since Catherine has admitted the trade, will the university be harsh on her?" asked Zobber. She was worried about Catherine. It was said that everyone in the lab thought Catherine sold her experiment and the lab for her benefit.

Ronin instinctively raised his voice after hearing what Zobber said. "I dare them!" Update first at NôvelDráma. Org.

Withal dragged him back to his seat and told him to calm down. "Will you two please stay out of this? Catherine must have done this for a good reason. You know the consequences of messing up her plan."

Ronin finally calmed down after being warned by Withal. When it came to Catherine, he would be rationless. Withal knew that very well. So, he changed the topic before things got worse. "Anything from your side, Zobber?" "Nope!" Zobber shrugged, looking casual. "No further notice. Just told me to wait."

They couldn't figure out what was on Black Robe's mind or his next move. He was intelligent and mysterious.

Withal sighed. "Then we'll wait. Stay out of Catherine's business. Wait for her order."

They decided to follow Withal's advice. Cause he was the most rational one among them.

*****

After lying in the ward for two hours, Selene finally got excited when she heard noises from the hallway.

She quickly checked her appearance in a small mirror, ensuring she looked fragile and beautiful simultaneously. She wanted Branden to feel sorry for her.

Then she hid the mirror and lay on the bed quietly as the footsteps went closer.

"Miss Miller."

Selene slowly opened her eyes, pretending to be tired, only to find Carlo standing there. She looked around but didn't see Branden at all. She couldn't help but frown unhappily. A hint of disappointment escaped her lips. "Why are you here?"

It would be impossible for Carlo to miss her expression. He didn't want to come in the first place if it was not Branden's order. No one wanted to come.

*Miss Miller, Mr. Duncan sent me. Your ward has been transferred to the VIP room on the 7th floor. Do you want to move there now?" said Carlo.

"What about Branden? Is he busy at the company or something?" Selene tried to hold on to the last straw. But Carlo's answer was like cold water pouring on her.

"Miss Swann is staying at home for a few days. Mr. Duncan is busy taking care of her. I believe you'll excuse him."

Carlos deliberately said that to her face because he loathed women who threw themselves at Branden while Branden only cared about Catherine.

Selene's face was all colors. There was no way to release her anger. Branden chose Catherine over her when she was lying in the hospital so miserably.

'It must be Catherine! She stops Branden from seeing me. What a bitch!' thought Selene.

Seeing Selene was not answering, Carlo urged her. "Miss Miller, do you want to move or not?"

Selene glared at him and answered, 'Why not? With Branden backing her up, the people in the hospital would have to treat her better.

She stood up and walked in front of Carlo, who couldn't help but show his disdain for her arrogance. He couldn't determine why Branden would respond to a woman much worse than Catherine.

Chapter 965 Meeting with Ultan

A phone call from Marshall woke Catherine. "Catherine, come to the university. Ultan has something to talk about with you.'

Hearing Marshall's voice, Catherine slowly came to her senses. "Professor Hartley? What's going on? Why do you call?" Her voice was less distant and more attractive.

Marshall knew she was sleeping without thinking. He was flooded with resentment at having to work overnight." Hurry up. I won't cover you up if you're late." He hung up resentfully.

Catherine leisurely got up. How naive was she to think she could have a vacation? They wanted her back just one day after they threw her out. She dressed up and headed out for school.

Her arrival at the lab building attracted a lot of attention. Although she was not officially expelled, it was an open secret in the lab building.

Catherine ignored all the gazes and swiped her badge, trying to enter the building. But the machine alarmed." Trespassing! Please step back."

This only caused more attention to her. People stopped and observed her closely, whispering to each other. Some were jealous of her talent and uniqueness for a long time. Now, they were more than happy to see her down and out.

One of them was even bold enough to mock Catherine. 'Miss Swann, you had been forbidden to enter the lab building by Mr. Farrell yesterday, remember? Many critical projects are going on in this building other than yours. We can't afford to let you leak everything, can we? So, why don't you walk away and save us from worrying?"

Her sarcastic tone was more terrifying than cursing or yelling. People around her couldn't help but laugh.

Catherine stood beside the machine expressionlessly, ignoring what was happening around her. A few minutes later, Marshall rushed to her after hearing what happened. He swiped Catherine's badge on the machine without saying anything. The machine alarmed again. "What the hell is going on?"

But now was not the time to talk about this. He would report to Ultan after Ultan talked with Catherine. He looked back at Catherine. "Come with me."

Seeing Marshall taking Catherine into the building, the student who mocked Catherine was unpleasant." Professor Hartley, you are a widely respected professor. But Catherine had been forbidden to enter this building by Mr. Farell himself, and even her badge is on the block list. Are you going to disobey Mr. Farell publicly?"

The bystanders secretly thumbed up at this student for confronting Marshall. They all agreed with her.

Marshall had been a man of free will for years. He didn't bother to explain. He looked at that student and sneered. "You know, you can always report me."

Well, he had her there. It was simple but effective. The student was lost for words. As mad as she was, she was no match for a professor.

Marshall dragged Catherine toward the door, but Catherine had no intention of going in. Marshall turned around and looked at her in confusion, eye-questioning her.

Catherine walked away and sat down with her arms crossed, coldly saying, "Why doesn't Ultan come to me himself? He's the one that wants to talk."

A vertical line appeared between Marshall's two brows. What was that supposed to mean?

A lot of people heard and sniffed at what Catherine said. They thought she was bluffing, acting like a big shot, and asking Ultan to come here in person. She didn't receive such treatment in her prime, let alone now.

Marshall looked at her for a while and left alone. He knew Catherine had made up her mind. To the bystanders, it was like Marshall totally ignored Catherine.

The student who mocked Catherine before spoke up again. "Someone really should know when to stop. The only person who pities her is now pissed off. What can she do? I feel so sorry for her."

Catherine slowly looked up at her, measuring her with the eye. White shirt, black pants, ordinary face. As a researcher in the lab, that was okay. But the way she mocked people made her look ugly.

Catherine looked at the name on her badge and searched it in her memory. And she sneered, which instantly attracted that student's attention.

"What's so funny? Am I wrong?" she asked. Update first at NôvelDráma. Org.

Catherine's eyes were so clean and clear, like a mirror that could reflect all the ugliness in the world. Her voice was distant. "You got into the lab after three attempts, right? As a person who ranks the last every year, I think you have better things to do with your time than teasing me here. No wonder your experiment has no result after three years. Maybe spend more time in the lab?"

That student clearly didn't see it coming. She fixed her eyes on Catherine furiously, lost for words. 'You... Try as she might, she couldn't argue with the facts. So, she stamped her foot and said, "We'll see. You are going to sit here forever." She turned around and was about to leave when she saw Ultan coming this way. She greeted him, but he passed her without even looking.

Ultan stopped at where Catherine was. And everyone dropped their jaws. Catherine was not bluffing. Ultan was here to invite her in person.

Chapter 966 The Experiment

After Marshall blamed him for blocking Catherine, Ultan went downstairs to look for Catherine. However, Ultan never ordered Catherine to be put on the block list. He had no idea who did this.

"Catherine, I heard you want me to invite you in personally. Is that true?" asked Ultan.

What Ultan said made the crowd more and more curious. Their gazes darted between Ultan and Catherine. Some thought Ultan was here to scold Catherine instead of picking her up and that Catherine had asked for it with her arrogance. They were eager to witness the scene where Ultan harshly scolded Catherine.

When asked by Ultan, Catherine slowly looked up, neither humble nar pushy. Then she said casually, 'Mr. Farell, you want to talk to me in the lab building, right? Now that my badge is blocked, I need you here to prove I'm invited. I don't want innocent people to be punished for letting me in."

Only then did Marshall realize Catherine wanted Ultan to be here in person for his reputation, not for herself. He didn't give a damn about his reputation, but Catherine did.

Knowing what Catherine wanted, Ultan's expression became complicated. He had no intention to offend her. To be honest, he liked this talented student quite a lot. Besides, Catherine was a student the university wouldn't want to lose, with Branden and Thomas behind her, both of whom were beneficial resources. However, the data leakage incident was massive. He had to handle it with principles strictly.

He turned around to look at the crowd, eyes sweeping them. 'She's right. I invited her. The university needs Catherine to cooperate with the investigation. As for the badge, there will be a declaration about it when we find out the truth."

His words had made everything clear, but the crowd was not leaving. Ultan's voice became harsher. "Don't you have work to do?"

And that worked. The crowd fled in every direction like startled birds.

Now that Ultan had invited her publicly, Catherine didn't say anything and followed Ultan into the lab building.

They went to the conference room. Apart from Ultan and Marshall, a few university leaders were also there, like the last time. This whole incident shook the university. Update first at NôvelDráma. Org.

Catherine sat in the front row fearlessly, facing the magisterial leaders. She looked casual and comfortable. And Marshall realized his worries for her were unnecessary. She was calmer than him.

Ultan looked around and decided to let the best psychology professor of his faculty question Catherine. This professor was famous and respected at Styre University and in the criminal investigation community. He had assisted the police in many cases.

With a hint from Ultan, the professor spoke up first. 'Miss Swann, I was informed that you admitted to leaking the experiment data on your initiative and that you denied being threatened or bribed. Is that correct?"

"Yes," answered Catherine without any hesitation.

The professor continued, "There has to be a reason. You can't just do it for fun, can you?"

"No comments." Brief and provocative.

Her attitude riled some leaders, and one of them smacked the table and stood up, glaring at Catherine. "How arrogant! We are giving you a chance by handling this at the university. Ultan and Marshall try to help you, for you are a talented student. But if you are still like this, I will have the National Security Bureau involved. And you will lose your chance to explain and your comfortable seat."

He threatened Catherine with an uncompromising attitude.

Marshall fidgeted about, but Ultan held him back. It wouldn't do any good to Catherine or himself if Marshall stood up for Catherine.

Catherine yawned. She was tired of the same old questions. She narrowed her eyes, looking at the leader who threatened her contemptuously, saying, "Go ahead. I'll wait."

Some leaders had heard about Catherine's attitude issue before. But they had never met her or known how bad her attitude was. Now, her arrogance was appalling to them. More leaders were provoked. The one who threatened Catherine insisted that Ultan call the National Security Bureau immediately, leaving Ultan with no choice but to make the call.

Before he called, he tried to talk some senses into Catherine for the last time. "Miss Swann, it would be much better if you cooperate with the university."

He waited for a while, but Catherine ignored him. He sighed and took out his phone.

Some people gloated over this. They had been dissatisfied with the privilege given to Catherine for a long time. After this, they could get rid of Catherine and shut out Marshall. Two birds at one stone.

Before Ultan dialed, Catherine slowly said, "Mr. Farell, what are you accusing me of?"

Ultan was stunned, not sure why she asked, like leaking the university's project data was not enough.

Seeing his confusion, Catherine continued, "Although I have been conducting experiments in our lab, the project was signed by myself. Besides, all the patronage was acquired in my name. I think I have the right to give MY experiment data to anybody."

Her words, once again, appalled everyone.

Ultan looked at Marshall in shock. From the look on Marshall's face, he could tell that Marshall, like everyone else, had no idea of this.

Catherine was in no hurry. She reminded Ultan, "Believe it or not. You can always check the contract."

When she heard Catherine's words, the secretary went to look for the contract.

Ultan, standing aside, measured Catherine with the eye. Her calm shook him a little. He couldn't help but think, 'Is it really like what she said? Have we been conducting an experiment that doesn't even belong to the university?"

Chapter 967 The Truth

After checking the contract, they found that Catherine was the declarer and the experiment's leader and that Marshall was only assisting. Who would have thought Catherine could experiment all by herself? So, Styre University had nothing to do with this experiment. On the contrary, Styre University benefited from Catherine's status as a titular student.

Everyone was dumbfounded. Ultan turned around and looked at Marshall in disbelief. "Is this true?"

Marshall spread his arms and shrugged. "It's all written in the contract."

Ultan's mind was blown away. The reverse was entirely out of his expectations.

Marshall only cared about experiments. He didn't mind giving up authorship if the experiment was meaningful. That's why he didn't stop Catherine from being the declarer. He almost forgot about it. It appeared that Catherine had everything planned and organized. These old fellas stood no chance against a person so thoughtful as Catherine. However, it was funny to see them being fooled around.

Marshall let out a sigh of relief. Now that he was free from worries, he sat down and watched silently.

Ultan was mad at him. He glared at Marshall. "And you knew about it? You gave away the university's project!" Marshall couldn't agree with him on this. He argued, "It's not something you can give away. As we all know, Catherine experimented all by herself. The experiment would be just as well without me."

Right. Catherine, his best student, was that brilliant.

And he got Ultan speechless. Ultan, of course, knew how talented Catherine was. But still, her excellence shocked him. And he could understand why Marshall was always so protective of Catherine.

Their argument made Catherine drowsy. She narrowed her eyes and looked ahead. Her gaze fell on Ultan. "Mr. Farell, are you going to call the NSB or not? Cause if you are, I need to prepare for the trial."

Ultan's face was as dark as the sky before a storm. Why bother calling the NSB? Everything was settled. He got angrier at Catherine, not sure what her intention was. Update first at NôvelDráma. Org.

After a while, Ultan was still silent. Catherine decided to leave on her own. So, she stood up and greeted Marshall.

Seeing Catherine strutting out was like a slap in the face for the leaders. They turned to Ultan. "That's it? Are you going to let her walk off like that?"

Ultan glared at them. "It was her experiment. How she traded it is none of our business. I did my best. You can try to stop her, though."

The room quieted down. Catherine walked out with their curious gazes.

When she left the building, she met Ronin, who rushed here after hearing the lab blocked Catherine.

"Catherine, are you okay?" Ronin ran out of breath and even gasped for breath when speaking.

Catherine looked at him peacefully. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Although Catherine was safe and sound, Ronin was still full of anger. 'That's great. Now, you wait here. I'm going inside to ask those old guys why they blocked you. You are literally the best thing that could ever happen at this university.'

Ronin was going in furiously before Catherine dragged him back.

"Calm down, Ronin,' she said.

"I can't!" Ronin was so anxious. The thought of Catherine being treated rudely almost blew his head off.

Catherine looked at him expressionlessly. "Maybe a bath in the cold river could help."

"You don't really mean it, do you?' Ronin glanced at her awkwardly. Catherine was a woman of her word. If she nodded, he would have to jump in the river.

Catherine gave him a cold glance. "Follow me if you don't want to end up in the river. I'm so gonna kick you into the river if you do this again!"

Ronin hurriedly answered, "Never! I promise!"

Ronin was young and reckless. He would do anything for Catherine at any cost, which could be a hidden trouble. Ronin confronting the university would only worsen the situation and put her in a dilemma. She was not afraid of confrontation. But the last thing she wanted was to affect others.

After being scolded by Catherine, Ronin calmed down. He couldn't control himself sometimes. He wanted to blow up Styre University when he knew Catherine was bullied.

"What do we do next, Catherine?" asked Ronin.

Catherine patted his shoulder. "Next, we will eat. And then, go home and rest.

"We... Wait a second. That's your plan?" Ronin was disappointed. He was ready to fight or something. But he followed Catherine to eat anyway.

"What did you say?" Selene held her phone and shouted. Thankfully, she lived in a single VIP ward, and the scream didn't escape the room.

After a moment, she asked again, "Are you sure about this?"

*I was there in the conference room, Miss Miller. One hundred percent positive."

Selene angrily hung up after hearing the reply. It was beyond her expectation that her perfect plan failed. She couldn't believe a young girl fooled around Styre University.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. So, she smashed everything in the ward. The nurse standing outside wanted to stop her but was held back by another nurse. "She's with Mr. Duncan. We better stay out of this.

Selene smiled proudly when she heard what they said. She would not let Catherine get away so easily next time.

Chapter 968 The Vote

After Catherine left, the conference room raged. Some smacked the table and asked Ultan for an explanation. Ultan grew impatient and stood up, glaring at them. "I'm willing to give up my position to whoever can find a substitute for Catherine. Go ahead and take it."

Everyone went silent at once. How could they find a substitute for a genius like Catherine in this country or even the world? Even Marshall had to admit Catherine's dominance in this experiment. As much as they wanted to, they couldn't argue with what Ultan said.

The silence was long and awkward until someone couldn't bear it anymore and asked, "So we just let it be? What about the reputation of Styre University? She's gonna ruin us!"

And another professor immediately echoed. "Mr. Farell, this is more complicated than it looks. We all know who Catherine's fiance is. The lab under the Duncan Corporation has the same experiment project, which has gone unnoticed for ages, but announces that it will display the results next month. Doesn't it say something?"

What he said was like a seed of suspicion. It sprouted in everyone's head, waiting to grow into a tree. And all of a sudden, there were all kinds of conjectures. The atmosphere was tense again.

Some even suspected Catherine had shared the data with the Duncan Corporation to upgrade her fiance's career, given that she had done it before.

The discussion became nasty. Ultan realized he had to put an end to this. So he proposed. "I think we should expel Catherine to save the university's reputation. Let's vote for this. Those in favor, raise your hands."

And someone raised his hand immediately. "I agree. His loud voice caught everyone's attention. To their surprise, it was Marshall. Catherine was his best and most cherished student. Yet he was the first one to agree to expel her. No one knew what he was thinking.

Even Ultan looked at Marshall in disbelief. "Marshall, I said those in favor."

Marshall answered thoughtfully, "I'm not deaf yet. I heard you well. What Catherine had done to the university was irresponsible. It hurt Styre's reputation badly. As a professor at Styre, I have to vote to expel her."

Ultan skeptically measured him with the eye, clearly not convinced. But Marshall's high-raised hand showed his attitude, leaving Ultan confused.

The others all voted yes. The proposal to expel Catherine was confirmed.

*Since everything is settled, I'm heading back to my lab," said Marshall. He left the conference room, ignoring their curious gazes. When he ensured no one was around, he texted Catherine, reading, [Everything is in control.]

*****

"Mr. Duncan, I've something for you." Paxton came to Branden with the latest news.

Branden stopped his work to look up at him.

*Rylan was the one who attacked Miss Miller. He went to her office in person and did it." Paxton was shocked by the fact that Rylan went berserk and attacked someone. Update first at NôvelDráma. Org.

Branden looked frosty, feeling no sympathy for Selene. His cold gaze darted at Paxton and gave him goosebumps. "That's what you have for me?"

"Sorry, Mr. Duncan," said Paxton.

Branden thought it was something about Catherine. But it turned out to be someone irrelevant. "Get out!" Paxtong rushed out without hesitation. Once he was out, he got a call from Selene. His face darkened. This woman was literally haunting him.

He answered the phone in a grumpy voice. "Hi, Miss Miller, I'm busy now. Please make it short.

Paxton was Branden's right hand. Selene might not like his attitude, but she had to kiss his ass. 'Hey, Mr. Paxton. Have you told Branden about my situation? When will he be available to visit me at the hospital?" She wouldn't call Paxton if she could reach Branden.

Paxton rolled his eyes inside repeatedly but remained expressionless on his face. "Miss Miller, I'm sorry, but Mr. Duncan is busy recently." And he hung up immediately, partly because she was the reason Branden scolded him.

Selene was pissed off, staring at the screen of her phone. Did an assistant just bully her? First, Rylan, now Paxton. Did they think she had no one to back her up? Well, they would know about it soon.

After half an hour, Rylan showed up at her door. Selene remained motionless and silent for a few seconds before Rylan was going to leave.

"Where are you going?" She hurriedly stopped him.

Rylan turned around and sneered. "I thought I might need the help of a lip reader since you are dumb."

Selene's face darkened. She had to ball her fists hard to suppress her rage. "This is how you apologize?" Yep. She told on him to their superior and forced him to apologize. She wanted everyone to know who was behind her and what she was capable of.

Rylan snorted and looked at her in contempt. "Who said anything about apologizing? I'm only here to pick you up. And if you are not leaving, I am!" Then he left without her reply.

Selene did not chase after him. Instead, she took a picture of him leaving from behind and smiled.

After a while, Rylan was back with a dark and frosty face. And Selene was all smiles.

Chapter 969 The Consequences

Rylan's face darkened. He didn't even bother to hide the contempt and disdain in his eyes when he coldly looked at her, disgusted by her bitchy ways. "What do you want?"

Selene sneered. She still remembered vividly how arrogant he was just a few minutes ago. And now he was there. She felt the pleasure of winning and intentionally put on a haughty posture.

However, Rylan had no patience for her. He gritted his teeth and said, "Don't dance on my nerves. Get up now, or NEVER. You know what I mean."

The threat worked well. His cold gaze reminded Selene of that day and made her stomach sink. She dared not to rechallenge him cause she knew he was a maniac. He might kill her. Honestly, if it were not for his grandpa, people would be attending her funeral now. She had goosebumps at the thought of this, got up from the bed, and packed her things.

Rylan picked her up at the hospital and sent her to the company in front of the staff. It created quite a stir in the company. Everyone thought Selene was going to be kicked out after messing with Rylan. But somehow, she was not kicked out. Instead, she was escorted to the company by Rylan himself a few days after their brawl. People couldn't help but make conjectures about who was backing her up.

Selene straightened up and walked into her office like a proud peacock, enjoying people's attention. This was precisely what she wanted. She wanted them to witness her remarkable comeback like they witnessed how Rylan threw her out.

Rylan instantly wanted to leave after they set foot in her office.

"Wait!" exclaimed Selene, trying to stop him from leaving.

Rylan paused and then left anyway.

He once again pissed off Selene. She swore to revenge him for the humiliation.

The assistant knocked on the door.

*Coming in!" Update first at NôvelDráma. Org.

The assistant came in and quickly closed the door behind her.

Selene immediately frowned upon her. "Why do you close the door? Am I embarrassing you?"

Sensing her anger, the assistant answered carefully, "No, Miss Miller. I have something important to tell you."

Then she whispered something to Selene's ear, which shocked her thoroughly. She looked at the assistant in disbelief and confirmed with her repeatedly. "Are you sure you got the right information?"

The assistant hesitated for a while. "Miss Miller, you know how it is. We can only be sure that Catherine went to take an ob-gyn examination at that hospital. It took us a great effort to know this. And that's all we have."

Selene felt like she was going to explode with the rage surging inside her chest. The jealousy of Catherine drove her crazy. Why was Catherine always the lucky one?

Then she gave an order to her assistant, which surprised the assistant. "Are you sure about this, Miss Miller? She is Catherine Swann. We stand little chance against her."

Selene had learned a lesson from the previous failures against Catherine. She did her investigation on Catherine and was confident to say that she knew her well. She understood her assistant's concerns, but things were different now. Catherine was doomed this time.

'Just follow my lead. Schedule it on the same day as the Duncan Corporation's press briefing. Now, get to your own business," said Selene.

Knowing her resolve, the assistant could only do as she was told.

Zobber got a message from Black Robe but couldn't decide what to do. After thinking, she secretly texted Catherine to seek her opinions in a language only they could understand.

Catherine texted back with two words and cut off their connection to protect Zobber. After all, they lived with so many eyes on them.

After that, Catherine found that the lab chatting room on WhatsApp was boiling. The host released an announcement saying that Catherine had been expelled from Styre University and would have nothing to do with the university and Marshall in the future.

A tossed stone raised a thousand ripples. Those researchers immersed in the academy left their work behind and had a heated discussion. Some said it was too much and that the lab needed Catherine. Others thought it served her right. The chatting room had never been more active.

Catherine swiped her screen and read their comments. She felt bored after a while and exited the chatting room since she no longer belonged to Styre or the lab.

After she exited, her phone never stopped ringing. People were calling her like crazy. Some were close friends, but some she barely knew. She didn't answer any of them.

Before she could turn her phone off, she got another call and picked up as soon as she saw the number.

"It's me." Cold voice.

But Catherine was even colder. "Yes?"

"We will make Styre pay for what they did to you for our cooperation."

Catherine snorted coldly. "Do you want me to thank you? Maybe a Best-Partner-Ever mug?"

The person on the phone was lost for words. Catherine hung up after two seconds. She never was an ass-kisser.

She took a nap as the doctor had advised her to rest. Her hectic work schedule had taken a toll on her health.

Three peaceful hours of napping gave Catherine total energy. Well, peaceful for her, at least. But Styre experienced an earthquake during the three hours.

Ultan was not surprised when he got a call from the Melton Group. He had seen it coming. The Melton Group only agree to sponsor them because of Catherine and her project. Now that Catherine was expelled and the project didn't belong to Styre anymore, they would want to withdraw their money.

But to Ultan's surprise, several sponsors came in a row after the Melton Company and asked for their money back.

Ultan couldn't sit and wait for his doom. He called an emergency meeting. The fund chain would break if more sponsors left, and many experiments would be affected. Ultan certainly didn't want to be the one who put Styre to an end.

Chapter 970 Two Birds at One Stone

It was tense in Ultan's office. Professors were called here to discuss the withdrawal of investment.

Ultan listed all the possible situations for them and sat aside. A professor looked at the contract and frowned unpleasantly. "Five of our sponsors have decided to withdraw their investments. We'll be in big trouble if they all leave. People would think Styre is doomed."

He had a point. It would be catastrophic if a chain reaction were set into motion. Styre would be in trouble if sponsors followed each other and withdrew investment. Who would have thought it was all because they expelled Catherine?

As the principal of Styre, Ultan had thought about this, of course. He looked up at that professor. "What's your advice then?"

That professor paused and then bitterly said, "Should we consider enrolling Catherine again? She definitely didn't want to be expelled. We can say she apologizes for the mistake and has a great attitude."

Someone objected immediately. "Styre is a century-old university. We would not compromise for a student."

Then, the argument began again. Ultan looked at Marshall, who was so calm, and finally figured out why Marshall had voted to expel Catherine. Marshall had expected this from the beginning. He protected himself and won compliments by voting yes.

Many would say Marshall was a man of science and knew nothing apart from science. They thought he was as innocent as a three-year-old. Well, bullshit. Marshall was as sly as an old fox.

"Marshall, Catherine is your student. You must have something to say," said Ultan. He would not allow Marshall to stay out of this while the rest of them were concerned. Update first at NôvelDráma. Org.

Marshall hurriedly waved his hands, trying to dodge the bullet. "WAS. She WAS my student. I thought we had agreed she had no longer been my student since she was expelled. I won't take the slander now. I have nothing to do with her!"

Unfortunately, Ultan didn't believe a single word he said. He coldly glanced at Marshall and thought, 'There's no way you leave this mess to me alone.

Sensing the warning in Ultan's eyes, Marshall smiled awkwardly. "However, even though I have nothing to do with Catherine, I'm still a professor of Styre. So, I have a proposal, and we can vote for this."

Ultan raised one brow and looked at him. "Proceed."

"We can't eat our words and take Catherine back. It'll make Styre a joke. But we can't afford to lose any sponsors, either. It'll affect all the experiments," said Marshall.

People rolled their eyes at him. Cause he was basically repeating everything they had said.

Marshall continued with a smile, "Don't rush me. What I'm saying is, since we can't take Cahtrine back as a student, how about we employ her as a specially engaged professor? We sign a contract with her. As soon as she returns, the sponsors will return as well. The relationship between Styre University and Catherine has turned into an employment agreement. We do not hold any responsibility. More importantly, we save Styre's reputation."

Everyone was nodding after hearing Marshall's proposal. Ultan sat aside, smiling. He found it funny to see them fooled around by Marshall. Marshall's proposal seemed to solve the biggest problem for the university. But it also cleared the rumors for Catherine and upgraded her. There was a vast difference between a student and a specially engaged professor-two birds at one stone.

But he didn't say anything because this was the only available solution. Besides, he trusted Catherine as much as Marshall did.

After voting, Marshall's proposal was approved. When the result came out, Marshall said, 'I voted no. You guys approved this proposal. Don't ever blame me if things go south."

Some had realized what Marshall was playing there. But to save Styre from trouble, they didn't argue anymore. Then, Marshall strutted out.

*****

Marshall couldn't wait to share this exciting news with Catherine. "Catherine, congratulations! You are now a specially engaged professor at Styre. Are you happy?"

Catherine could only smile on the phone.

She wanted Marshall to stay out of this to save his reputation. But Marshall was too protective of her. It seemed like science was no longer the only thing he cared about.

*Professor Hartley, you shouldn't get involved," said Catherine.

Marshall laughed. "I have many students, but you are the only one that may make a difference in the world. I'm doing this for science.

Catherine was silent. Her eyes were filled with mixed feelings. She had caused more trouble than benefit to Marshall ever since she got Styre. But Marshall had always taken good care of her like a father.

After a long while, Catherine said, gently and slowly, "Tnahks, Marshall."

"You are welcome. I told my wife about what I did, and she said I deserved a good meal. So I'm heading home. I'll see you around," said Marshall.

Catherine looked at her broader and broader smile on the dark screen, feeling good for having somebody to defend her.