Chapter 747 Hiding It from Branden
Catherine leaned against the railing, her face devoid of much emotion. Her icy eyes were vacant as if nothing could capture her attention.
When Wantel entered the room, he walked slowly to Catherine and stopped in front of her. âCatherine, do you have any orders? Just tell me,â he said.
âDo you have the information about the Duncan Corporationâs order?â Catherine asked.
âYeah.â Wantel nodded.
âTell the Duncan Corporation that the Hacker Alliance has accepted their order and demands,â Catherine instructed.
Upon hearing Catherineâs command, Wantel looked at her in surprise. â Catherine, are you planning to reveal your identity?â Before, Wantel didnât understand the relationship between Catherine and Branden, but now that Wantel knew it, he thought maybe in the future, the Duncan Corporation and the Hacker Alliance would be handled by the same person. If that was the case, it was normal to know some of the Hacker Allianceâs secrets. After all, Catherine and Branden might become a family in the future, so there was no need for them to keep secrets from each other.
Catherine glanced expressionlessly at Wantel. âNo need to reveal my identity. Just accept the order in the name of the Hacker Alliance.â
âNot reveal it?â Wantel was somewhat shocked, seemingly not expecting Catherine to make this decision. He wanted to ask for clarification but was silenced by a glance from Catherine, swallowing back the words that had almost come out of his mouth. Her presence was so intimidating that just a single glance was enough to make him feel scared.
âOkay, Catherine, I see,â Wantel said.
âGo out,â Catherine said.
Wantel knew that Catherine wanted to rest, so he opened the door and walked out.
Catherineâs competition ended, and they could officially begin their free journey in Alton. Zobber was the most excited, having been bored for the past few days. Now, Catherineâs competition finally came to an end. Zobber immediately organized a trip and called everyone in.
Branden and the others arrived late, appearing after dark. After everyone gathered, Zobber stood up excitedly to announce, âTo celebrate Catherineâs victory, how about we have a three-day trip before returning?â
Instead of immediately agreeing, everyone looked at Catherine, who seemed to be deep in thought. There was a momentâs delay before she responded to Zobber. âI agree!â
With that, cheers erupted.
Ronin raised his hands and shouted, â Awesome, Catherine!â
When Catherine saw everyone in good spirits, her face showed a faint smile.
Zobber arranged for a boat overnight. Catherine stood on the deck, her hair tousled by the sea breeze. Suddenly, a warm sensation enveloped her as her body was surrounded by a soft towel. She turned her head to see Branden approaching, his long arms enveloping her tightly.
âFeeling cold?â he asked in a gentle voice.
Catherine instinctively leaned her head back, pressing it against his broad chest. âNo. Are they still drinking?â she asked.
Zobber and the others were drinking wildly in the cabin. Catherine had a few drinks and felt her cheeks flush, so she came out to get some fresh air.
âYeah,â Branden hummed, resting his head on Catherineâs shoulder, accompanying her to enjoy the refreshing sea breeze.
âProfessor Hartley wants me to accompany him to an academic seminar before I return to the country because of the championship,â Catherine said.
Hearing this, Branden furrowed his brows. âWhere to? For how long?â he asked.
âIâm going to Theisia for about three days,â Catherine said.
âIâll accompany you,â he offered.
âNo need.â Catherine decisively rejected Brandenâs proposal. âYouâve been in Alton for a while. Loxton needs you. Iâll only be gone for three days.â She looked into his eyes with determination.
Three days wasnât too long. Sensing Catherineâs firm attitude, Branden decided to comply with her arrangement. âAlright, promise me, donât do anything risky,â he said.
Catherine leaned a bit closer to Branden, wearing a warm smile on her face, but she didnât speak. Branden took her silence as consent.