Chapter 816 A Bright Day
Last nightâs gathering had quite a turnout, and many of the schoolâs movers and shakers were there. The next day, news of Catherine attending the gathering spread across the campus like wildfire. Thankfully, the buzz about her was positive. Even the senior students had nothing but high praise for Catherine. They mentioned she might seem reserved, but it wasnât snobbishness. She was approachable and always willing to help.
Catherineâs reputation at school had been under a cloud due to rumors about her changing boyfriends. Some gossip suggested she only hung out with wealthy and influential people, even when it came to relationships. They said she would dump her boyfriend when she met a more wealthy man. But with this recent positive talk, it seemed like a clarification for Catherineâs name.
When Rylan arrived at school, he overheard these rumors. He immediately sought out Amelia, who could provide the information he sought better than Catherine.
Amelia caught sight of Rylan and wanted to evade him. Rylan was too handsome. She was afraid of drawing trouble if she looked at him a moment longer. She knew Rylanâs reason for getting close to her was solely because she was Catherineâs roommate. Catherine had helped Amelia a lot, and Amelia wouldnât betray her. So, she tried her best to dodge him. But Ameliaâs hopes of avoiding Rylan were futile. He never gave her the chance.
Apart from Catherine, there was no one Rylan couldnât handle. In just a few words, Amelia was left dizzy and ended up spilling the details about the previous night.
âSo, Catherine went there?â Rylan asked.
Amelia nodded. âYeah. Not only did she go, but she was incredibly friendly. Everyone really liked her.â
âIs Catherine in the dorms? I went to the lab earlier, and the security guard said she hadnât been there.â
Upon hearing Rylanâs question, Amelia secretly admired this manâs capability. The security guard at their schoolâs lab was notoriously difficult to deal with, and he was impossible to bribe. Yet, Rylan somehow managed to deal with him and get Catherineâs whereabouts. It was too eerie.
âSeems like Catherine hasnât woken up yet. She stayed up late organizing some materials. When I left, she was still asleep, and I didnât want to disturb her. âAmelia didnât want to reveal Catherineâs whereabouts and came up with an excuse. Besides, Rylan couldnât enter the female dorms, so there was no worry of being found out.
After getting the information he needed from Amelia, Rylan let her go.
When Amelia reached a secluded spot, she immediately dialed Catherineâs number on her phone. After a few rings, Catherine picked up. Amelia swiftly briefed her on the situation. She said, âThatâs the gist of it. I told him youâre resting in the dorm. The rest is up to you.â
The ringing phone not only woke up Catherine but also Branden, who lay beside her. The feeling of being able to reach out and pull his beloved one closer made him exceptionally content. In the past few days when Catherine hadnât returned to the apartment, heâd spent almost every night sleepless.
With a strong arm, Branden effortlessly pulled Catherine toward him. âWhose call is it?â Perhaps due to just waking up, Brandenâs voice was unusually deep and attractive. It was so pleasant that lifted the mood.
âAmelia. She had something to tell me. âCatherine tried to shift a bit forward, but Branden held her too tightly. His high body temperature made her slightly sweaty. Catherine attempted to escape, but Branden didnât give her the chance. Instead, he pulled her even closer.
âItâs nine now. Arenât you going to work today?â Catherine asked and frowned. Considering Brandenâs usually terrifying discipline, waking up at six every day, preparing her breakfast, dropping her at school, and then going to the office himself, it was unusual for him to laze around until 9 am.
Facing Catherineâs slightly scornful tone, Branden didnât mind at all. Instead, he rubbed his forehead against her neck. âI finished my work ahead of time a few days ago, so Iâm taking today off.â
Catherine was surprised to hear about someone completing tasks ahead of time for the first time. She thought Branden was shameless to make such a statement.
As Catherine sensed the warmth behind her, her legs, which had just relaxed, seemed to ache again as if influenced by it. After returning from the club last night, Branden was so insatiable that he had tirelessly kept her up all night. If she didnât stay up until the early morning, she wouldnât still be asleep at this hour. If Amelia hadnât called, she might have slept until sunset. Despite her decent stamina, compared to the man behind her, she fell short, especially in a certain aspect where this man seemed tireless.
âIâm hungry.â Catherine stared expressionlessly at the ceiling.
Branden certainly could see through Catherineâs thoughts. He did push quite a bit last night. Catherine might still be sore now. Even if Catherine didnât say anything, he couldnât continue bothering her. He threw off the blanket and got out of bed. âWait. Iâll get you something.â
With her elbows propped on the bed, Catherine squinted and admired Brandenâs muscular figure and perfect shape. He noticed Catherineâs gaze and purposely flexed, tightening his core to reveal his perfect abs.
Seeing Branden showing off, Catherine laughed and collapsed back on the bed. She grabbed a pillow and hit him. âGet out of here!â
Amid the laughter and playfulness, a cheerful atmosphere filled the entire apartment.
Branden prepared a bowl of soup and some light dishes. Then he placed the prepared breakfast in front of Catherine. âAfter eating, Iâll take you to school.â
âNo need!â Catherine bluntly refused, making Branden furrow his brows. He asked, âAre you still upset?â
âNo. I have something to take care of,â Catherine explained. As if anticipating Brandenâs next words, Catherine added, âIâll go by myself.â
Seeing her insistence, Branden couldnât help but glance at her a bit more. Catherine remained composed and calmly sipped her soup, allowing him to look.
âArenât you going to school?â Branden asked.
Catherine nodded. She had something to attend to.
In the end, Branden didnât escort Catherine out. She left on her own and rode a motorcycle from the underground garage.
The moment Paxton saw Catherine leaving the garage, he became upset again. He wondered if they had another argument. He had been looking forward to a good day. He was afraid it would be ruined again.
Upon seeing Branden, Paxton immediately straightened up. He was afraid of causing any trouble inadvertently. Once Branden got into the car, he directly instructed Paxton to head to the company. Paxton immediately started the car and maintained complete silence throughout the journey. He even breathed cautiously.
Upon arrival at the company, Paxton parked the car and swiftly moved to the backseat to open the door for Branden. After Branden got out of the car, he handed a package to Paxton. Paxton respectfully received it, his heart racing. âMr. Duncan, whatâs this?â
âI made extra breakfast. Kathy said to share it with you.â Branden made too many sandwiches in the morning. Catherine said the freshly made ones shouldnât go to waste, and they needed to be shared.
It took Paxton a while to come back to reality from his daze. He was filled with surprise and happiness. Branden personally shared breakfast with him. It seemed like today was going to be a bright day.