Chapter 795 Their Hideout
Compared to the worried Withal, Catherine seemed much more composed. Although Withal was unaware of Catherineâs thoughts, he was used to her calm demeanor after years of being by her side. âWhatâs the plan, Catherine?â Withal asked.
Catherine glanced casually at them and then focused on their wounds. âYou two donât need to worry. Focus on healing those injuries first.â
Zobber pursed her lips. She disagreed with Catherineâs decision. She wanted to help and not be idle.
As Zobber attempted to speak, Withal intervened. He said, âWeâll follow Catherineâs orders. Whatever she says, goes.â
Facing Withalâs persuasion, Zobber crossed her arms in frustration but dared not defy Catherine. Withal always obeyed Catherineâs commands, and if Zobber persisted, he might step in.
âRest up, both of you. Donât worry about me. The Duncansâ forces in Loxton are now under my command,â Catherine said.
Zobberâs expression eased after she heard Catherineâs words. Though she wanted to assist, considering the injuries they were carrying and the adversaryâs intimate knowledge of their situation, she realized they might inadvertently complicate matters for Catherine.
Knowing Branden had redirected his forces to Catherine, Zobber felt more relieved. Although she had often criticized Paxton and his crew, their skills were commendable and were on par with Withalâs. Having them around would be a great help.
âCatherine, call on us anytime. We might not fight directly, but we can handle online tracking and other digital tasks,â Zobber said.
Seeing her eagerness to take on tasks, Catherine sensed Zobberâs pent-up frustration. Catherine thought if it were her being manipulated like that, sheâd be eager to expose the mastermind behind it and give him a good reckoning. âUnderstood. Thereâll be tasks for you when the time comes. No rush!â
Catherine finished briefing them and emerged from Connieâs place. She intended to reach out to Francis to arrange their tasks. Unexpectedly, before she could dial, Francis called her.
Francis asked, âMiss Swann, weâve been attacked. Is everything alright on your end?â
Catherineâs face instantly turned serious. She emitted a strong, unmasked aura of danger. âWhere are you?â
Francis provided an address. After half an hour, Catherine rode her motorcycle there. A man she didnât recognize approached her and looked at her respectfully. âMiss Swann, Iâm affiliated with Branden and work under Francis. Francis instructed me to wait here for you. Please come with me.â
Following him, Catherine entered a residential complex and ascended a flight of stairs. After they opened the door, a strong stench of blood hit Catherine. Francis lay bandaged on the bed, with Carlo nearby, who was also seemingly injured.
âAre you both alright?â Catherine asked with concern.
Carlo rose immediately. âMiss Swann, donât worry. Weâre fine.â
Francis nodded, and his face was pallid from blood loss.
The man who had led Catherine in brought a chair for her to sit. She complied without hesitation. After sitting down, she scanned everyone with her cold gaze. âWhat happened? Explain.â
Francis glanced at Carlo and let him speak. Seeing Francisâs severe injuries, Carlo disregarded any animosity and briefed Catherine.
Carlo had traced some leads from the surveillance footage. He contacted Francis, and they decided to investigate. However, their opponents were more formidable than anticipated.
However, they were underprepared and outnumbered. Their years of coordination saved them from dire consequences. Francis suffered two deep cuts to his back, causing substantial blood loss. Carlo only received a minor cut on his arm.
âMiss Swann, it seems we found their hideout. Weâve informed Mr. Branden, and heâll handle it. He asks you not to worry. Heâll give you updates,â Carlo said.
Listening to Carloâs rushed words, Catherine almost chuckled. She hadnât mentioned going to see for herself, yet he was anxious ahead of her. Since Branden had taken charge, Catherine felt relieved to leave it in his hands.
Carlo had worried earlier about what theyâd do if Catherine insisted on going. Surprisingly, Catherine showed no intention, instead inquiring about Brandenâs whereabouts. She asked, â When will he arrive?â
Carlo was unsure of how to respond. He turned to look at Francis and exchanged a glance with him.
Francis had more insight than Carlo. He realized that Catherine was undeniably their future mistress. For them, it was better to offend Branden than Catherine. Francis said, âMiss Swann, Mr. Branden should arrive tomorrow.â
Catherine had anticipated it. After such an incident, Branden would undoubtedly worry about her safety and set aside his tasks to rush to Loxton. âIs the situation in Casier settled?â Catherine asked.
No one dared to respond to Catherineâs question. Carlo signaled Francis to continue since he had started speaking, but Francis ignored him and remained silent.
Although Catherine hadnât uttered a word or altered her expression, her presence was domineering and stifled their breaths.
Finally, Carlo reluctantly spoke up and detailed the situation. He said, âThe Breens have been causing trouble everywhere. The situation in Casier is grim. Thereâs much to handle. Mr. Branden intends to pass the matter to Paxton. Then he will come to accompany you.â
âUnderstood.â Catherine stood and left after her reply.
Francis desperately gestured at Carlo, who coldly stared back. Carlo asked, â What do you want now?â
âWhy donât you go check on her?â Francis pointed toward the direction Catherine had left.
âWhy donât you?â Carlo retorted and rolled his eyes.
Francis gestured at his wounded back, shamelessly saying, âIf not for me taking this hit for you, Iâd go myself.â
âYouâre dreaming!â Carlo cursed under his breath. Despite his words, Carlo stood up and obeyed Francisâs command. He owed Francis this time. Francis had taken a hit from protecting him, so he had to comply.
Catherine walked to the end of the corridor after leaving. She pulled out her phone and casually sat down.
Soon after dialing, someone picked up and called out, âKathy.â As Branden pronounced her name, he elongated the second syllable with a softness that was particularly pleasant to hear.
âAre you planning to come to Loxton tomorrow?â Catherine asked.
Branden furrowed his brow. He knew Carlo and Francis must have leaked the information. He was considering how to reprimand them when he heard Catherine say casually, âI forced them. They dare not disobey me, let alone offend me.â
With those words, Branden quietly dismissed the thought of revenge that had just appeared in his mind.