After discussing the current situation with the two, Catherine left Connie's place.It was getting late, and returning to the dorm at this hour would disturb Amelia and others. Therefore, Catherine rode her motorcycle directly to the apartment building.She didn't feel the spacious house was empty before, but now, with only one person, it seemed a bit desolate.Suddenly, the doorbell ringing caught Catherine's attention. She stood up and checked the situation outside through the interior monitor. Seeing a delivery guy at the door, she promptly opened it.With a friendly smile, the delivery guy said, "Miss Swann, here's your delivery. Please sign for it."There was a large bouquet of roses and an exquisite gift box.When Catherine saw the roses, she knew they weren't from Branden, as he didn't like them.Instead of accepting the gift, Catherine took the card from the bouquet. Seeing the familiar handwriting, she immediately knew who the sender was.She inserted the card back and
"Ring, ring, ring..." The ringing disrupted Catherine's thoughts. She reached over to grab her phone and held it to her ear."It's me! Miss Swann, we discreetly tracked those following you last night and found out they entered the Golden Summit Tower. The property of that building is under the ownership of the Breens. It belongs to them.""Do you suspect the Breens send them?" Catherine directly concluded.Francis paused for a moment, then affirmed. He said, "It's not a suspicion. They indeed come from the Breens."Catherine believed in Francis's judgment. He wouldn't make such a statement if he hadn't found anything. "Alright, I got it," said she."Miss Swann, there's still no news from Ronin's side. We are intensifying our efforts to trace him. We'll inform you immediately if we receive any updates.""Okay. If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up." After confirming that Francis had nothing urgent to report, Catherine hung up the phone and returned to her experiments.Her exper
Ronin's mental defenses crumbled, and the masked man gloated over his handiwork. He'd tormented Ronin for two days. He withheld food and drink and kept Ronin trapped in a dank, gloomy space. He knew well that Ronin was different from Catherine.Although Ronin had faced hardships since childhood, he hadn't undergone the excruciating training Catherine had endured. He couldn't endure such inhumane torture. Breaking through his mental defenses wasn't too challenging.The masked man pulled out some medication from his pocket and tended to Ronin's wounds. Watching Ronin's expression change, he felt immensely satisfied. "You don't have any grudges against me. There's no need for it to come to this. It's Catherine we're after, and she is the one we're dealing with. If you help us out, not only will I release you to recover, but I'll also ensure you receive a substantial fortune and let you go away."Ronin's gaze wavered, and his resolve weakened.Rather than pressuring Ronin, the masked m
Compared to the worried Withal, Catherine seemed much more composed.Although Withal was unaware of Catherine's thoughts, he was used to her calm demeanor after years of being by her side. "What's the plan, Catherine?" Withal asked.Catherine glanced casually at them and then focused on their wounds. "You two don't need to worry. Focus on healing those injuries first."Zobber pursed her lips. She disagreed with Catherine's decision. She wanted to help and not be idle.As Zobber attempted to speak, Withal intervened. He said, "We'll follow Catherine's orders. Whatever she says, goes."Facing Withal's persuasion, Zobber crossed her arms in frustration but dared not defy Catherine. Withal always obeyed Catherine's commands, and if Zobber persisted, he might step in."Rest up, both of you. Don't worry about me. The Duncans' forces in Loxton are now under my command," Catherine said.Zobber's expression eased after she heard Catherine's words. Though she wanted to assist, considering
Catherine hung up the phone and returned. She found Carlo and Francis looking incredibly odd. They stole glances at her and communicated only through eye contact. They didn't dare to speak.Catherine scanned the two of them with a cold eye before seating herself nearby. "Don't worry. I straightened things out with Branden. It's not on you."As soon as she said that, their tense expressions relaxed. Carlo let out a long sigh of relief. He looked at Catherine with gratitude. "Miss Swann, thank you.""No need," Catherine said coldly and shut down further conversation. She was about to leave when Francis's phone rang. She paused and planned to wait until Francis's call ended to inquire about the situation before leaving."Damn it! They're so cunning!" Francis cursed after ending the call. Seeing his disturbed state, Carlo signaled to remind Francis that Catherine was still there.Francis realized this and quickly apologized to Catherine, "Sorry, Miss Swann. I lost my cool earlier."C
Catherine had just entered the dormitory when her phone started to ring. She slid the button on the screen, and Branden's handsome face appeared."Have you arrived at the dormitory?" Branden's voice came through the earpiece. She wasn't surprised at all by his precise control over her whereabouts. Carlo must have informed him of her return to school. Judging by her pace, this time was enough for her to reach the laboratory or the dormitory building. His control over time had always been accurate. That was why she had just stepped into the dormitory when he called her. "I've just arrived," she replied."I'm almost done with things on my end. I should be able to return to Loxton the day after tomorrow," Branden said, his eyes fixed on Catherine's face through the screen, his words carrying a hint of probing.Catherine knew exactly what was on his mind. Leaning to one side, she looked at him with a smile in her eyes. "So, are you applying to return to Loxton?" she asked.At her word
Rylan waited long, but Catherine didn't show up. One of his men informed him that she had returned to the school. Based on Catherine's personality, she was unlikely to be in the laboratory. "Could she still be in the dormitory?" Rylan wondered, not wanting to wait. He decided to go and check the situation in the dormitory. Before he could leave, his phone buzzed. He took out his phone, stepped aside, and answered the call. "Speak," he said, his tone devoid of any emotion. The person on the other end said something to Rylan, and his eyes instantly darkened, his previously gentle demeanor totally gone. "Wait for me. I'll be there soon," he said before hanging up.The sparsely decorated room contained only a bed and a chair. Ronin sat in the chair, enjoying a delicious meal specially prepared for him. Ever since he shared the special means of contact with Catherine, his life here had been much better. What Catherine said was indeed true—one should learn to look after oneself. Althoug
When Catherine emerged from the laboratory building, the sky outside had already turned dark. If it weren't for Marshall urging her to leave, she would have planned to finish her work from the previous night.Glancing at the time on her phone, Catherine realized it was already past dinner time, and the curfew was approaching. Considering Isabella usually went to bed early, she decided to leave the campus to grab something to eat before returning to her apartment. If she had time, she planned to make a trip to see Connie.With Withal and Zobber likely recovered by now, Catherine could have them do some work to keep them from getting bored. Just as Catherine stepped out of the gate, she spotted the familiar black Bentley. It had been a while since she had seen it, and she felt a twinge of longing. She walked straight toward the car.Paxton had been keeping an eye on the gate. When he noticed Catherine's appearance, he promptly informed the person in the back seat. "Boss, Miss Swann