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Catherine’s instincts kicked in the moment the voice reached her ears. She didn’t even need to turn around to know that someone was trying to engage with her, and from the tone, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a pleasant interaction.
She stopped walking, but her body remained tense, ready to act. Slowly, she turned to face the source of the voice, her eyes narrowing beneath the brim of her black baseball cap.
The man behind her was leaning against the wall, a smirk plastered on his face. His appearance screamed of arrogance, his attire too flashy for this kind of venue—evidently, someone who wanted to stand out but didn’t quite belong in such an exclusive place. His eyes roamed over her casually, clearly unimpressed by her plain outfit.
Catherine’s lips curled into a thin, unamused smile. “I’m not interested.”
The man’s smile faltered for a second, but then he leaned forward slightly, his tone shifting to something more insistent. “Come on, beauty. I haven’t seen you around before. This place is exclusive, but maybe you can join me for a drink? I’m sure we can have a much more interesting time than wandering around here alone.”
Catherine’s gaze remained unwavering, her patience thinning with each word he uttered. She had no time for this.
“I don’t think you understand,” she said, her voice low and steady. “I’m not here to play games.”
The man chuckled, clearly unimpressed by her tone. “Oh, you’re a tough one, huh? I like that. Maybe you’ll change your mind when you see what I can offer.”
He started to step closer, but Catherine didn’t flinch. Instead, she took a step to the side, blocking his path without even breaking a sweat. The man, caught off guard, paused for a moment.
“That’s cute,” she said coolly. “But I’m afraid I’m not the type to be impressed by flashy gestures.”
The man blinked, his confidence wavering for the first time. He tried to recover, but before he could speak again, Catherine turned and resumed her search for Joseph. She didn’t have time to deal with this.
“Move aside,” she added, her voice firm, making it clear there was no room for negotiation.
The man, now realizing he wasn’t going to get what he wanted, stood still for a moment longer, clearly debating whether to escalate the situation. But in the end, he stepped aside, mumbling something under his breath.
Catherine didn’t look back as she continued down the hallway, unfazed. Her focus was entirely on finding Joseph.
Her sharp eyes scanned the hallways, the corridor lighting casting long shadows. She knew he couldn’t be far—she had seen him slip into a room earlier. There were only a few doors left to check.
As she moved closer to the end of the hallway, she could hear voices muffled by the walls, one of them unmistakably belonging to Joseph. He was talking to someone. The traitor was right there, just a few steps away.
Catherine stopped in front of the last door on the left. It was closed, but she could feel the presence of two people inside. She didn’t hesitate. With a quick glance around, she slipped her hand into her jacket pocket, retrieving a small device. A quiet click—and the door silently opened.
Inside, she found Joseph seated at a table, nervously glancing around. The man with him—someone Catherine hadn’t seen before—looked up in alarm as she stepped in, her gaze fixed firmly on Joseph.
“Miss Swann,” Joseph stammered, his voice breaking, panic creeping in. “I—I didn’t think you’d find me here—”
“Don’t bother,” Catherine cut him off, her tone as sharp as a knife. “I know exactly what you’ve done. Now, hand over the chip.”
Joseph froze, his face paling. The man beside him stood up quickly, attempting to block her path. Big mistake.
Catherine moved with the fluid grace of a predator. She reached out, effortlessly pulling a sleek black gun from the waistband of her jeans and pointing it at the man in front of her. His eyes widened, but before he could make a move, she spoke again.
“Move. Now.”
The man swallowed hard, his bravado crumbling under the weight of her cold gaze. He stepped aside, and Catherine turned her attention back to Joseph.
“Now,” she repeated, her voice cold, “the chip.”
Joseph’s hand trembled as he reached for his jacket pocket. But just before he could retrieve the item, a loud voice came from behind her.
“Miss Swann! Is everything okay?”
Catherine didn’t flinch. She already knew who it was.
Triston stepped into the room, his grin wide, as if he were expecting to see something exciting. But when his eyes landed on the scene—Catherine with a gun, Joseph sweating profusely, and the chip in his pocket—he stopped mid-step, clearly taken aback.
“Mr. Duncan doesn’t like to be kept waiting,” Triston said nervously, trying to regain some semblance of control. He glanced back over his shoulder, but Catherine didn’t look at him.
“I’m not here for your boss,” she replied coldly, her eyes never leaving Joseph. “I’m here for the chip.”
Joseph, now visibly trembling, nodded quickly and pulled the chip from his pocket, holding it out to her.
Catherine took it without a word. She didn’t need to say anything else—her actions spoke volumes.
With the chip securely in her hand, she turned to Triston.
“Tell Mr. Duncan I’ll be in touch,” she said, her voice devoid of emotion. “And next time, don’t waste my time.”
With that, she turned on her heel and exited the room, leaving Triston standing in stunned silence, the faintest flicker of respect in his eyes as he watched her leave.
Catherine moved swiftly through the club, knowing her mission was complete. But there was something still on her mind. Joseph was only one small piece of the puzzle.
And Catherine had much larger plans for the future.