Chapter 630 Do I Need a Reason?
Catherine was playing games with Branden in the lounge when Paxton knocked on the door.
âBoss, the guests have arrived,â Paxton said.
Branden glanced at Catherine, who was still playing the game and casually dismissed Paxton. âWeâll go out later.â
Paxton understood his bossâs intention and obediently stepped aside to wait.
Catherine reclined on the comfortable sofa the whole time, only putting down her phone after finishing a round of the game.
Even though she had been playing the game, she had still heard Paxtonâs report earlier.
âLetâs go.â
Branden didnât move immediately. Instead, he patiently asked Catherine, â
Not interested in your game anymore?â
âIâm bored of always winning,â she replied, her words carrying extreme arrogance.
If someone else had said that, they would have been despised. However, it was Catherine who said those words, and that made all the difference. After all, everyone knew what a legendary figure she was in the gaming world.
She didnât just play games; she also developed them. Several of the worldâs most popular games only existed because of Catherineâs participation and design. The copyright income from these games alone enabled Catherine to make a fortune every day.
If it werenât for Catherineâs absolute control over Arbotte Laboratory, a world-class laboratory she single- handedly supported, she wouldnât need to complain about being short of money all the time. She made money faster than a money-printing machine, but unfortunately, Arbotte Laboratory was just a money shredder.
The two of them left the lounge with Paxton, and they soon saw Atticus chatting and mingling with the crowd.
Catherine immediately recognized the man with a goatee and mischievous eyes. One could tell at a glance from his shifty face that he was a bad guy.
The moment Atticus noticed Catherine, his eyes lit up with excitement.
It seemed he wasnât surprised to see Catherine at this kind of event, considering he had already investigated her background and knew she came from a wealthy family, had a high net worth, and, most importantly, was engaged to a billionaire.
With such a background, seeing her at this high-society gathering wasnât surprising. Atticus walked straight towards Catherine, his face beaming with excitement.
âMiss Swann, I didnât expect to see you here. It seems that what the Eskanese say about fate bringing people together is true, right?â
Catherine gave him a cold glance and sarcastically said, âThe culture of Eskana is profound and extensive. Itâs normal for you to have a shallow understanding of it, Professor Sterling. In Eskana, thereâs indeed a saying that goes, âEnemies are bound to meet!'â
Atticusâs smile froze momentarily, but then he quickly regained his eerie grin. âMiss Swann, I truly admire and respect you. Itâs truly remarkable for someone of your age to achieve such success in your field. You donât need to be hostile towards me. If we canât work together, we can still be friends!â
Catherine lowered her eyes, and her deep gaze seemed like an endless abyss of darkness. âHostile? Thatâs not the case, Professor Sterling. Not everyone has the right to be my enemy.â
Her bold words felt like a resounding slap across Atticusâs face, leaving him utterly humiliated. âYouâ¦â Atticus trembled with anger, his cheeks turning red.
Seeing the situation escalating, Branden stepped forward, wrapping his arm around Catherineâs waist. Like Catherine, he looked at Atticus with disdain and mockery in his eyes. His sharp gaze. The bloodthirsty aura he exuded sent shivers down Atticusâs spine.
âProfessor Sterling, I advise you to have some self-awareness. Stay away from people you shouldnât get close to.â
He wouldnât allow anyone to have ill intentions towards Catherine.
Atticus recognized Branden and had heard some rumors about this young genius.
Decisive, ruthless, and extremely cruel, Branden was a rare and talented businessman.
Suppressing his anger, Atticus forced a smile. âMr. Duncan, your words make me feel like there might be a misunderstanding between us!â
Branden was not polite, his icy voice dripping with sarcasm. â Misunderstanding? Thatâs not the case, Professor Sterling. Not everyone has the right to misunderstand me.â
His tone and phrasing were exactly what Catherine had used to retort Atticus!
They were indeed a perfect match, publicly displaying their affection.
After being confronted twice in a short period, Atticus was on the verge of losing his composure. He almost threw a fit but managed to hold it in. Eventually, he found an excuse and left with a friend of his.
As soon as Atticus left, Paxton immediately approached and whispered, âBoss, Professor Vulture really has some patience. The nickname âVultureâ suits him well. If he doesnât get angry, do we still need to make a move?â
Initially, they planned to provoke Atticus, and then they would have a good reason to deal with him. Even if Mistel were to investigate later, it would be âProfessor Vultureâ who caused the trouble, and their retaliation would be justified. However, who would have known that âProfessor Vultureâ endured all the humiliation without getting angry?
Branden sneered and looked in the direction Atticus had left, his eyes filled with a hint of hostility. âDo I need a reason to make a move?â
Catherine stood to the side, listening to the conversation between the two men. She understood Brandenâs intentions. Although there was no need to fear Atticus, the fact that he had now sided with Mistel was a concern. After all, Mistel was still the worldâs largest powerhouse. It could potentially cause some trouble. Just because they wanted to teach Atticus a lesson didnât mean they had to anger Mistel.
Catherine raised an eyebrow, her smile playful and eerie. âI have an idea!â
Although Branden didnât know what idea she had, he was intrigued by her playful mood and decided to go along with her.
His eyes were filled with indulgence, and he was brimming with joy as he said, âBe mindful of your promise to me!â
Catherine knew what he was going to say. It must be about staying safe and not taking unnecessary risks. She leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder. In a low voice, she said, â Have I ever told you that youâre starting to resemble a preachy old man more and more?â
The next moment, she bit him fiercely.
Branden stood still, allowing her to act as she pleased, not even furrowing his brows. The pain in his neck brought back memories of the previous night, and an indescribable heat surged through his mind, causing his body to tense involuntarily.
If it werenât for the inappropriate setting, he would have banged this little troublemaker on the spot.
After biting him, Catherine released Branden and gazed at him with a mischievous smile, even poking his chest with her finger. Deliberately lowering her voice, she teased, âWait until I deal with the bad guys, then Iâll come and deal with you!â
Brandenâs expression softened, and a bright smile appeared on his face. â
Alright, Iâll be waiting for you!â