Audrey kept her head down, unsure how to respond to Catherine's question.Although Brian didn't expose the video, their relationship had been built on threats from the start. Despite Brian being good to her lately, one-sided efforts couldn't be the reason for them to be together.Seeing Audrey's dilemma, Catherine had a bad feeling. "Don't tell me you've fallen for him now, have you?"This question startled Audrey. She quickly shook her head, denying Catherine's speculation. "No, that's impossible." She was sure she had no feelings for Brian. "I have no feelings for him; it's all in his imagination," she added.Audrey's almost certain response relieved Catherine. She had worried that Audrey might have fallen for Brian during this time. It would make the situation more challenging."Leave this matter to me. Take a break from your current work for now, and contact me if anything comes up," said Catherine.Audrey managed a bitter smile. She came to comfort Catherine, but it turned i
The efforts to control the situation didn't ease things for Catherine; it just became worse.Paxton updated Branden on the recent developments. "Mr. Duncan, the tactics they're using are just like the ones from the previous rumors about our company. It's likely the same group. The public opinion is strongly against Miss Swann right now. I had a fake video made; it's convincing enough. Should we release it to at least create some confusion?""No way!" Branden immediately rejected Paxton's proposal. "Those people are waiting for that."If they dared to release the video, they must have other tricks up their sleeves. The fake video would only get Catherine into even more trouble.Paxton thought Branden made sense, but at the moment, he couldn't think of a way to help Catherine. "Mr. Duncan, what should we do then?"Branden remained calm and composed. "No rush. If they're willing to spend money to hype things up, let them be."For some reason, Paxton felt that Branden was unusually c
Ronin, upon seeing those online messages, was downright furious. The once most painful memories surged back again.He thought about hacking all the online posts and shutting them up, but when the time came to act, reason won over impulse.Silencing voices on the internet could only temporarily halt everything; it couldn't solve the issue from the root.If the mastermind behind this made another move, it could have dragged Catherine into even more problems.Netizens were just blindly hostile toward the wealthy. If those scheming folks intentionally spread the idea that Catherine manipulated public opinion with her influence, it would trigger a widespread resistance mindset. It would only make the situation worse.After realizing this, Ronin decided not to argue with those idiots. He aimed to expose the mastermind behind the scenes and resolve the matter once and for all.Having made up his mind, Ronin quickly went out. Soon, he arrived at the entrance of the secret base.Seeing h
The man's words carried a hint of threat, but Ronin remained calm. "If you refuse, then our cooperation ends here." Without waiting for a response, Ronin added, "Even if you want to expose our collaboration, I don't care."As if anticipating Ronin's rebellion, the man laughed out loud. "Haha, is that all you've got? Rest assured. I won't expose our collaboration or retaliate against you. You can leave."Ronin couldn't quite grasp the man's intentions, but he was certain that the man wouldn't let him off so easily. He said, "Why hide it? Just state what you want; don't beat around the bush."The man shrugged nonchalantly, signaling Ronin. "I won't see you out."Ronin looked at him suspiciously, feeling that things were not as simple as they seemed. And just as he turned to leave, the man in the black robe spoke slowly from behind. "Ronin, I keep my word. I won't trouble you. However, you know Winston, right? I haven't decided how to deal with him yet. Should I bury him alive or beat
Catherine did not deny it. "Yeah, I arranged for him to go out, but the specific task is temporarily confidential. Don't worry about his safety; if there's anything, I'll let you all know."Withal felt relieved when he heard Catherine's answer. "That's good, as long as he's safe."But deep down, Withal felt something was off. He thought Catherine was keeping something from them lately. If he hadn't known Catherine for so long and trusted her, he might have started looking into things."Catherine, if there's something, you've got to let us know," Withal added."Don't worry. I know what to do." Catherine hung up after saying this.Seeing the message popping up in the class group, Catherine changed her clothes and headed to the school.Today was the day for the class meeting. Although Catherine didn't attend all the classes on time during regular days, she would participate in important activities or meetings within the class, aiming to blend in.The formal start time was 2:30 in t
Amelia nodded without hesitation, looking at Catherine with admiration in her eyes."Super Catherine, I call you 'super' for a reason. You should understand how much I believe in you," she said.Faced with Amelia's unconditional trust, Catherine gave a faint, wry smile. "Don't trust me too much. I'm not exactly a soft-hearted person," she replied. In her life, kindness and weakness would only lead her into trouble.Catherine's response caught Amelia off guard. When Catherine thought she had startled Amelia, she heard Amelia say in a serious tone, "I believe you would never harm anyone, let alone kill. If you do anything, it must be under extreme circumstances. Kindness isn't just about doing good deeds. If someone loves life, takes care of themselves, and looks after their friends, they are kind people."Hearing this, Catherine glanced at Amelia with admiration.Amelia blushed at the look. "Super Catherine, why are you looking at me like that?" "No wonder you got into Styre Univ
At three in the afternoon, Catherine arrived at the agreed location on time. The other party, however, notified her of the address at two thirty. Upon receiving the address, Catherine promptly set off and arrived punctually. Just as she finished parking, a boy appeared beside her."Are you Catherine?" he asked. Catherine nodded, and the boy handed her a note. "Someone asked me to give this to you," he said."Thank you," Catherine replied, taking the note and opening it.It was a Sudoku puzzle, not too difficult. Catherine quickly solved it, revealing a simple set of coordinates. Following the coordinates, she soon reached her destination—a stylish restaurant that stood out amidst the surrounding skyscrapers with its industrial decor, exuding a distinct charm.Upon entering, a waiter guided her inside, leading her through a corridor to the basement. It was there that she discovered a totally different place."Miss Swann, your reserved private room is right here. Your guest is alrea
Cloude was momentarily taken aback by her response, then chuckled. "Well, I didn't expect you to be so patriotic, Miss Swann. It seems I really didn't do my job well and almost misunderstood you."Catherine glanced at the time. It was almost four o'clock, and if she didn't act quickly, it could disrupt the schedule for the press conference. "Mr. Cloude, if there's nothing else to discuss, let's get straight to the point.""Agreed." Cloude immediately consented to Catherine's proposal. His terms remained unchanged—he still demanded a fifty percent stake, with the rest open for negotiation.Catherine agreed, but also presented her conditions. "First, help me find Professor Warner and bring him back. Second, remove all online impacts on me. Third, regardless of how the lab operates, you must not intervene. You need to understand. I don't need anyone meddling in my affairs."Upon hearing Catherine's conditions, Cloude showed no surprise as if he had anticipated her requests. After asse